Animal lovers hope that new legislation will promote more humane treatment for livestock and other wildlife across the country. 

Qiang Lei, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Beijing Committee, proposed that China urgently draw up a law to protect animal welfare nationwide at the annual CPPCC Beijing Committee session, which closes today.

The law should apply to all kinds of animals, Qiang said. Analysts said such legislation would likely help foster more conscientious views towards nature and the environment, which badly need greater care in the country.

In elaborating on the necessity and urgency of the law, Qiang, a professor at the Beijing Business Management Cadres Training College, picked pigs as an example.

Treatment of livestock and farm animals often reveals some of the worst tendencies by handlers in terms of cruelty to animals.

"Pigs are very clever," said Qiang. "I have been to many slaughterhouses in Beijing, and I usually see that a pig strives to go back in great panic at the gate, because there is a pool of blood before it. The pig knows its fate."

"What's more, some greedy people even infuse water into the animal through a pipe into their noses. Some pigs are tortured for hours and then die in great pain," Qiang added.

But Qiang pointed out that many forms of livestock are often exposed to great suffering before finally being slaughtered, and this can have an adverse effect on humans who eat their meat later on.

"If animals die in a great panic, their blood can secrete toxins which are harmful to people's health, as the blood will permeate their bodies and reduce the quality of meat," said Qiang,

He said that the Ministry of Health has set out several rules for the slaughter of animals, but that "such standards are superficial, limited and hard to be put into operation."

The professor said almost all Western countries have worked out laws on animal welfare.

They have specific requirements on animal breeding, healthy treatment, living conditions, and transportation as well as for their eventual slaughter.

Moreover, there are several international practices followed by many countries which ensure the freedom of animals to avoid suffering from starvation, undue pain, illness and terror.

(China Daily February 19, 2004)