More Changes in Yulin: Is the Tipping Point Near?

Dogs rescued from a meat truck await veterinary care.

We have an important update to share from our team in Yulin, a team that you helped build, a team that works year-round to create lasting change.

Officials in Yulin have asked all government employees to sign a letter of commitment, a pledge promising that they will:

• Never consume or purchase dog meat, or attend banquets where dog meat is served.

• Recognize the special status of dogs as companion animals, respect their lives, treat animals kindly, and reject illegal killing and animal abuse.

• Take the initiative, beginning with themselves, to encourage family and friends to shun the illicit dog meat trade.

We know this pledge does not carry the force of law. But in Yulin, the epicenter of the dog meat trade, this is a significant step forward.

Particularly striking is the pledge's language. The Yulin government is now referring to the dog meat trade as “illicit.” Just a decade ago, officials consistently described dog eating as part of “local culture.” 

That shift in language reflects a profound change in how the practice is being viewed.

So, why now? According to our source, worldwide attention surrounding recent animal abuse cases, particularly the heartbreaking case of Wang Wang and her puppies, has played an important role. These cases have sparked outrage locally and internationally.

We still have a long way to go. But we believe these developments may signal that we are getting closer to a tipping point, a time when ending the dog meat trade becomes not only possible, but inevitable.

With South Korea's dog meat ban taking effect January 1, 2027, there is even more reason for hope.

Yet pledges are not laws, and laws alone cannot create lasting change. Education is the key. If we want the dog meat trade to disappear for good, we must change hearts and minds, especially among the younger generation.

And we are seeing that change.

Xia Ya's new friend comes to see her every day.

At our Yulin Compassion Center, a little boy has been coming every day simply to look through the window and check on a small white dog named Xia Ya. He doesn't come because anyone told him to, he comes because he's curious about Xia Ya and has developed a bond with her.

This small act of compassion represents something much bigger.

Change is happening in Yulin. Change is happening across China. And after more than 13 years of working alongside local communities, we are seeing more glimmers of hope than ever before.

The road ahead is still long. But we are getting closer.

Thank you for helping to make these changes possible.

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