WASHINGTON – Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, today sent a sharply worded letter to the Chinese Ambassador in response to the killing of more than 50,000 dogs in the Yunnan Province. Pacelle condemned the dog massacre and offered the organization's assistance in establishing an effective rabies control program.
The dogs were reportedly beaten to death in an effort to address a rabies outbreak among residents of the province.
"This brutal massacre has been highly publicized throughout the international community and reflects poorly upon China's image," Pacelle wrote to Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong. "Since the first reports of the incident, we have received a flood of email and phone calls from outraged citizens throughout the United States."
In the letter to Ambassador Wenzhong, Pacelle points out that the World Health Organization has stated that mass killings of dogs is not a means of effective animal control, and instead emphasizes the need for rabies control programs.
The HSUS' international arm, Humane Society International, is working in India, Nepal and Indonesia to provide expertise and guidance in developing humane animal control programs, which include sterilization and effective rabies vaccination.
"We are anxious to start a dialogue with the appropriate officials regarding this problem and how Humane Society International can assist in its resolution," wrote Pacelle.
"Dogs are wonderful companions and it's heartening to see pet keeping growing in popularity in China, but having a pet comes with the responsibility of providing humane care for that animal," said Pacelle. "Rabies prevention measures are the combined responsibility of individual owners, veterinarians and public health officials."
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 9.5 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.
