In May 2017, campaigners reported an anticipated temporary restriction on dog-meat sales around Yulin; the report did not establish a lasting ban. The event had drawn international criticism over the killing of countless innocent dogs. The reported restriction was expected to begin on 15 June 2017, before the event. Campaigners said it would restrict the sale of dog meat at restaurants, markets, as well as street vendors. Contemporary reporting described possible penalties of up to 100,000 yuan, then roughly US$15,000, and possible arrest. These were reported expectations about enforcement, not evidence of a lasting prohibition. The difference became important when later coverage described the event continuing.
Humane World for Animals describes the Yulin event as a commercial promotion launched by dog-meat traders in 2010 to increase sales, rather than an ancient festival. The distinction separates a particular organised event from the wider history of dog-meat consumption. Animal-welfare campaigners have reported that dogs taken into the trade include stolen pets and animals still wearing collars. Those reports are part of the concern about sourcing and treatment, alongside the conditions in which animals are transported and held. The methods in which dogs (and cats) are treated and killed are extremely cruel.
As Andrea Gung, executive director of Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project commented: “Even if this is a temporary ban, we hope this will have a domino effect, leading to the collapse of the dog meat trade.” She added, “This ban is consistent with my experience that Yulin and the rest of the country is changing for the better.”
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Terry Scott
Mrs. Yang
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Reuters
Animals Asia
Jie Zhao
Kumming Rescue
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The anticipated restriction did not establish a permanent ban
Andrea Gung’s statements capture the hope surrounding the anticipated restriction in May 2017. They do not describe an outcome confirmed in later years. Time’s June 2017 reporting said the event went ahead despite the earlier reports of cancellation.
In June 2025, Humane World for Animals was still reporting on the trade in Yulin and releasing material gathered by its Chinese partner Vshine. A Vshine survey reported that most respondents in Yulin never or rarely ate dog or cat meat. That is a finding about the surveyed group, not a count of every resident, but it helps avoid treating a notorious trade as the preference of an entire city. Campaign activity, local restrictions, national policy and a permanent end to sales are different developments. Following their dates makes it possible to recognise efforts against the trade without declaring a victory that the evidence does not establish.
- Taiwan’s 2017 Dog- and Cat-Meat Ban: An Archived Report
- A 2017 report on the Yulin dog-meat trade
- A reported dog rescue associated with Yulin in 2016
Additional sources: Time: the June 2017 event proceeded after earlier cancellation reports; Humane World for Animals: June 2025 reporting on Yulin.
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