The Sun just pulled out all the stops to turn Britain against immigrants. It released a story telling the nation of dog lovers that immigrants are eating their treasured canine companions.
But, as it turns out, the Sun‘s article appears to have no basis in fact. Rupert’s Murdoch’s tabloid isn’t going to let a little matter like truth get in its way, though. Promptly after ‘exposing’ what immigrants are supposedly doing to our pets, it launched a campaign to force the prime minister to act on it.
It’s got some brass neck.
A “sick trend”
The Sun‘s political editor of all people shared the ghastly news with readers on 6 August. Tom Newton Dunn wrote:
THERESA May faces urgent calls to ban the eating of dogs in Britain after campaigners warned the sick practice is on the rise.
An international canine welfare group fears immigration from the Far East is secretly spreading it across Europe.
The group in question is the World Dog Alliance (WDA). It’s an organisation that advocates for governments across the world to ban dog meat consumption. However, it particularly focuses on promoting legislation in Asian countries, where eating dog meat is more widespread.
The basis for the Sun‘s assertion about the “sick trend” appears to be a quote from the WDA. The group’s project executive Kike Yuen told the tabloid:
In the US, people who eat dog meat are mainly immigrants from Asia. With three million immigrants from East Asia in the UK, we cannot deny this situation exists here too
Yuen also argued that legislation in the UK and elsewhere would pressure Asian countries to stop killing dogs for food.
No evidence
Clearly the project executive didn’t say there was proof that eating dogs in Britain is “on the rise”. Yuen raised a suspicion that, because it’s happening in the US, it could be happening in the UK. And he provided more detail on the matter. Detail, however, that readers won’t find in the Sun.
Yeun also talked to the BBC‘s Newsbeat about the issue. He highlighted the fact that the US is preparing to vote on legislation to ban dog and cat meat, saying:
The reason why we did the legislation in the United States is because we found that there are some Asian immigrants eating dogs there… We are worried that it is going to happen in the UK.
So, the WDA is “worried” that dog consumption will happen in the UK. But it’s not asserting it is happening. In fact, the BBC says, the WDA “doesn’t know” whether it’s occuring. Humane Society International also told the BBC that it has:
never come across any evidence to suggest that dog meat is being consumed in the UK
Protect the pooch
Nonetheless, the Sun has started a “fledgling campaign” to get a law passed that will crack down on the seemingly non-existent practice in the UK. And apparently Theresa May has already hopped into step with the Sun‘s new cause. The PM’s spokesperson has said the government will “look closely at the decision” in the US because May is reportedly considering a ban.
The UK already bans any trade in dog meat. Even so, an outright ban would be welcome. Not least because it may well strengthen the argument against Asian countries continuing with the awful trade. But it appears eating dogs isn’t a problem in Britain – unlike the numerous legitimate concerns over treatment of the animals we kill for food, use for sport and abuse for our own ends.
So really, the Sun‘s bogus story just reinforces its own problem with a multicultural society. And May has seemingly fallen right into its trap.
Get Involved!
– Find out more with the World Dog Alliance.
– Take action with Compassion in World Farming.
Featured image via Wikimedia and Geralt – Pixabay
