Rescue Operation Saves Cats from Illegal Meat Trade in China
Over 1,000 cats were saved from slaughter as they were set to be sold as meat in China. A tip-off led to a daring rescue.
Police in Zhangjiagang intercepted a truck carrying the cats, exposing an illegal cat meat trade.
The discovery raises concerns about food safety in China. Cat meat can sell for 4.5 yuan per catty.
Alerted by activists, the police moved the cats to safety. Their origins, as pets or strays, remain unclear.
Activists had tracked the cats for six days after spotting them in wooden boxes at a cemetery.
The story outraged Chinese citizens, leading to calls for stricter food safety controls and animal protection laws.
In 2020, Shenzhen banned the consumption and production of dog and cat meat, part of a broader ban on wild animals following the Coronavirus outbreak.
The incident underscores concerns about mislabeled meats, as a student found a rat's head in a meal initially claimed to be duck meat.