Dogs should be man’s best friend, but this doesn’t seem to be the case in the United Kingdom anymore.
A ban on the consumption of dog and cat meat was recently struck down by “nervous civil servants” at the Ministry of Justice who feared it would be “culturally insensitive” towards people from the Far East.
Woof.
This is the latest instance of the UK excessively prioritizing political correctness in the name of multiculturalism. And this time, the victims are innocent animals that should be kept as pets – a new low.
Understandably, many found the Ministry of Justice’s reasoning for not adopting the ban unconvincing and bizarre. Tory MP Giles Watling articulated:
“It’s not culturally insensitive because we’re not telling them what to do – we’re just telling them what we do”.
He continued:
“Dogs are our companion animals. We do not eat them, and that is a very important message to send to the rest of the world”.
The ban was inspired by animal rights activists who believed it would send a firm, disapproving message to countries, predominantly Asian, that still participate in the inhumane practice: an estimated 30 million dogs are slaughtered annually throughout Asia and over 4 millions cats are slaughtered annually in China. Following this, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) proposed the legislation earlier this year:
"30 million dogs are slaughtered for their meat every year".@JimShannonMP is in #WestminsterHall pressing for a ban on the human consumption of dog meat in the UK.
Watch: https://t.co/071e8TCyc3 #animalwelfare pic.twitter.com/K82YXnHWtT
— UK House of Commons (@HouseofCommons) February 21, 2019
Ironically, the ban was intended to be symbolic. According to the former Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, the “sickening practice” is “rare” in the UK, but banning it would send a “powerful message” to countries still involved with the brutal trade.
Failure to enact the ban sets a troublesome precedent: cultural “sensitivity” is more important than respecting the rights of animals. It’s a “powerful message”, but not with its intended meaning.
It’s clear; cultural relativism and political correctness now influence government policy. And that should worry everyone (not just dogs and cats).
