Dogs are pets, not livestock and poultry, says China
A statement alongside a draft of the National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources, a list of livestock that can be legally traded for meat, fur and medicinal purposes was published.

In a move that could signal the end of the trade in cat and dog meat in the country, the Chinese government has, for the first time, officially declared that dogs should be treated as pets, and not as livestock. This statement comes after an immediate ban on the eating and trading of wild animals imposed by Chinese authorities in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. The outbreak is believed, but not proven, to have spread from animals to humans in a "wet market" in Wuhan.
"With the progress of human civilisation and the public's concern and preference for animal protection, dogs have changed from traditional domestic animals to companion animals," China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday. "Dogs are generally not regarded as livestock and poultry around the world, and China should also not manage them as livestock and poultry."
This statement was published alongside a draft of the National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources – a list of livestock that can be legally traded for meat, fur and medicinal purposes.
It is worth mentioning that while this official list has never included dogs or cats, this is the first time that government authorities have given reasons for the exclusion of these animals from the list. The list is open for public consultation and feedback until 8 May.
Earlier this month, the city of Shenzhen had become the first Chinese city to ban the sale and consumption of cat and dog meat.