TNAG-0470-FCO40-535-Legislation-for-protection-of-wild-life-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 150

Mrs Vera Galloway, 7, Haynes Close,

Welwyn Garden City, Herts. AL7 SEP

26th June 1974

Lord Balniel,

House of Commons, London S.W.l.

Dear Lord Balniel,

I read with horror and disgust the article in the "Sunday People newspaper dated 23rd June 1974 regarding the way in which " mans best friend" the dog is despatched before being popped into the stewpot to satisfy the appetites of "our Chinese friends in British Hong Kong.

I have known for a long time that the Chinese love dog flesh, one cannot stop them eating it, if they so wish, but it is the way in which these poor animals (some stolen pets, some especially bred for the table) meet their death which sickens me. Some are scalded to death in boiling water, some beaten to death as they swing from a tree with a noose around their neck, others are clubbed to death as they struggle helplessly for their lives in tied up sacks.

Something must be done and done quickly to end these terrible atrocities. Apparently the main pressure (on the authorities) for reform of the dog meat laws is for the sale of dog flesh to be legalised, if this means that these poor animals will be put to death painlessly, then I'm all for it. How dare we condemn other countries ie Japan when such cruelty is carried out, under our very noses, in our own Colony.

While on the subject of animal cruelty I also think it is about time we sorted a few things out in this country ie street markets dealing in animals and Club Row London in particular, where at the end of the day puppies and kittens left unsold, some barely six weeks old and diseased are given to children who promptly exchange them for sweets etc, and what about the puppy farms dotted all over the country, they seem to be flourishing still, despite the new Dog Breeders Act recently brought into force, where bitches are bred from every season, and many housed in the most appalling conditions.

Domestic animals do not ask to be born. It is because of mankind that they are here at all. So for Gods sake let us make certain that they are humanely treated.

Yours sincerely.

Vera Galloway

Mrs Vera Galloway.

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