WDA submitted recommendations to Guangzhou City's mid-and-long-term legislative planning 2027 on legislating to ban the consumption of dogs and cats

The WDA has submitted recommendations regarding "legislation to ban the consumption of dog and cat meat" for Guangzhou's 2027-2031 legislative plan and 2027 legislative work plan. The full text of the recommendation letter is as follows:

Regarding legislation to ban the consumption of dog and cat meat.

Recommendations to include in the 2027-2031 legislative plan and the 2027 legislative work plan

To the leaders of the Standing Committee of the Guangzhou Municipal People's Congress:

To further implement people's democracy throughout the entire process, the Standing Committee of the Guangzhou Municipal People's Congress publicly solicited suggestions for the 2027-2031 legislative plan and the 2027 legislative work plan. The World Dog Alliance (WDA), as an international organization dedicated to the protection of companion animals worldwide, attaches great importance to this and actively responds. The following legislative suggestions are hereby proposed to strengthen the protection of companion animals and prohibit the consumption of dog and cat meat.

I. Legislative Background and Necessity

With economic and social development and the improvement of people's living standards, dogs and cats have become important members of many families as companion animals. According to data such as the "China Pet Industry White Paper," the number of dogs and cats in urban areas nationwide exceeded 124-126 million in 2024-2025. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as a hotbed of the pet economy, has a pet-owning household penetration rate of 23.5% (meaning approximately one in four households owns a pet), and cities like Guangzhou also have a large and continuously growing pet-owning population. This provides a solid foundation for strengthening legislation to protect companion animals.

At the same time, illegal dog theft, abuse, and consumption of dog and cat meat still occur, posing food safety hazards, public health risks, and social conflicts.

On March 31, 2020, Shenzhen and Zhuhai took the lead in passing local legislation to explicitly ban the consumption of dog and cat meat, achieving good social results. At the national level, on May 27, 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs removed dogs from the "livestock and poultry" list, clarifying their status as "companion animals".

As a core city in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, banning the consumption of dog and cat meat in Guangzhou has the following advantages:

• Becoming a leader in the Greater Bay Area: Following Shenzhen and Zhuhai, legislation banning the consumption of dogs and cats will further demonstrate humanistic care and civilized image, becoming an important engine for the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, consolidating and strengthening its leading city status.

• Safeguard public health and food safety: Reduce the risk of spreading diseases such as rabies and prevent animal products of unknown origin from entering the dining table;

• Responding to public concerns: Protecting the legitimate rights and interests of pet families and reducing public security problems caused by dog theft aligns with the legislative principles of "small entry point" and "quick and flexible";

II. Specific Legislative Recommendations

It is recommended that the "legislation to ban the consumption of dog and cat meat" be included in Guangzhou's 2027-2031 legislative plan and 2027 legislative work plan, and that special regulations on banning the consumption of dog and cat meat in Guangzhou be formulated in due course. The key points of these regulations could include the following:

1. It is explicitly prohibited to breed, raise, slaughter, sell, transport, consume, or produce related products of dogs and cats for the purpose of consumption;

2. Increase efforts to combat dog and cat theft and animal abuse;

3. Strengthen publicity and education to raise public awareness.

The above suggestions can serve as a "small-scale" legislative project in the field of people's livelihood, and are highly targeted, necessary, and feasible.

Since its inception, the WDA has been committed to promoting global legislation explicitly banning the consumption of dog and cat meat. We sincerely hope to cooperate with the Standing Committee of the Guangzhou Municipal People's Congress and relevant departments to contribute to building Guangzhou into a more harmonious and civilized animal-friendly city. Enclosed are Annex 1, "A List of Countries and Regions that Ban the Consumption of Dog and Cat Meat," and Annex 2, "A List of Cities in Various Countries that Ban the Consumption of Dog and Cat Meat," for your reference.

This letter is sent out in respect of your review and support.

Liu Yuanyuan, Regional Director of WDA China

July 7, 2026