Warning
HELL ON EARTH
Inside China’s horrific dog slaughterhouses where dead animals are blowtorched before being sold at Yulin Festival
Horrific images and footage show dogs trapped in dirty cages before they are clubbed to death in Yulin, China
THESE horrific images from a Chinese slaughterhouse reveal the suffering thousands of animals endure ahead of the cruel Yulin dog meat festival in China.
They show dogs cramped together in tiny, rusty cages before they are dragged out by the neck and beaten over the head.
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The pups, some of whom are pets snatched from their owners, are then de-haired and blowtorched to be sold at the brutal festival which has been condemned by activists.
As many as 50 dogs are killed at the abattoir every day, according to charity Humane Society International who filmed the grim conditions inside.
It reveals the first disturbing glimpses of preparations for this year's dog meat festival in China's Guangxi Autonomous Region.
Fortunately the charity managed to negotiate the release pf 135 dogs from three facilities in the Yulin suburbs.
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They will have been driven for hours, or even days, across the country before reaching the slaughterhouse where they are beaten to death.
Cell phone photos taken by HSI’s activist contacts show terrified dogs huddled together in dark, filthy rooms with traces of blood still fresh on the floor.
In one harrowing scene witnessed by the activists, a dog cried in pain as a slaughterhouse worker repeatedly clubbed it over the head.
Allen, one of the Chinese activists, told HSI: "What I saw will haunt me for months, I have never seen dogs so scared like these ones.
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"Most of them were small sized dogs, typical pet dogs, and they were terrified because they had seen the killing of probably 50 dogs that morning.
"They were friendly but very confused, and all of them were emaciated due to food and water deprivation.
"The slaughterhouse was utterly filthy, the floor covered in blood and faeces, and the air oppressively offensive."
The 135 dogs were taken immediately to a temporary shelter to receive food, water and emergency care.
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Once settled at the shelter, it became clear there were three heavily pregnant females who gave birth to their puppies soon after.
The dogs were next transported to three separate permanent shelters in other parts of China where they will receive high-quality veterinary care.
Sixty-five of the dogs are now being cared for at a shelter in north China supported by Humane Society International.
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HSI's China policy specialist, Dr Peter Li, said: "Many of the dogs are suffering from malnutrition, shock and painful skin diseases.
"They will likely be extremely fearful because they’ve received such brutal treatment and witnessed truly traumatising scenes."
Earlier this week in Beijing, Humane Society International handed over a letter signed by more than 235,000 people calling for an end to the annual Yulin dog meat festival.
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