I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of this before, but in Yulin, China they had to have their annual festival early, as protestors were ready to descend on the town. They usually eat the dogs on the solstice to bring good luck for the coming year; eating the dogs is supposed to ensure health during the winter if eaten on the solstice.

We’re not talking just a couple of dogs, either; according to the news report, thousands of dogs are consumed annually after being culled from the ranks of strays and even peoples’ pets that have been dog-napped. Photos of skinned, cooked dogs from the festival have been circulating on the internet with some dogs hanging on hooks in street-side stalls. In case you’re wondering, the sale of dog meat for human consumption is legal in China. Unanswered, of course, is the question as to whether the dog meat will confer its benefits since it wasn’t consumed on the solstice.

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