Shenzhen to Ban Eating Cats, Dogs, and Wild Animals Amid Coronavirus Fears
The southern Chinese city Shenzhen recently announced a draft regulation to ban the eating of wild animals as well as animals typically regarded as pets.
The proposed regulation comes in the wake of the deadly Coronavirus outbreak that is spreading across the world.
If the legislation passes, only nine types of meat will be legal to consume–including beef, pork, chicken, rabbit, fish, and other seafood.
The city, however, did not publish a specific list of banned meats but anything not on the approved list of meats most likely will be prohibited, including popular southern Chinese dishes such as snake, turtle, and frog.
Although at this point it is mostly speculation, some have theorized that the wild animal trade and consumption has played a role in spreading deadly diseases and viruses such as Covid-19.
Many scientists also blamed the SARS virus which killed 800 people in 2003 on the consumption of civet cats in southern China.
Those who violate the prohibition can be fined up to 20,000 yuan (91,000 baht).
Read the full story here.
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