The primary theme of the story is responsibility.

Dog eating is not a new norm in most parts of

East Asia. However, the government of China has allegedly banned the act in a move designed to protect
the animals from merciless humans. The Lychee and Dog Meat Festival that has commonly been known
as the Yulin Festival is attracting massive numbers of people, particularly in the Guangxi Province. Lee
perpetrated two crimes. The first involved stealing dogs from the community and selling them to a
restaurant owned by Chiang. The second involved ignoring the government’s order outlawing the
consumption and sale of dog meat to visitors. The restaurant was full of customers from mainland China,
Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Individuals travel from Taiwan to the Guangxi Province because the authorities in the island do
not permit the citizens to practice this festival openly. Taiwanese authorities do not allow their citizens to
slaughter the dogs in the streets or sell dog meat in public food markets. Chiang and his business
partners know that the demand for the dog meat is high and, hence, are willing to use any means
necessary to amass lucrative profits. Another crime committed during the events that Sung and I
witnessed involved corruption. Junior police officers were ready to arrest Lee before they were dissuaded
from doing so by someone in the upper echelons of law enforcement.

As responsible citizens, Sung and I felt that we had a duty to stay informed about the events that
affect our community. Additionally, Sung used his professionalism to keep the community informed about
the issues that affect them. Sung has been helping me understand the basic laws applied in mainland
China since he is a professional. He has taught me that responsible citizenry means respecting and
obeying the federal, state, and local laws. One of the main laws requires citizens to report criminal
behaviors that threaten peace and stability in the society. Therefore, we assumed the responsibility of
reporting these events to the relevant authorities. We felt that being a responsible citizen means helping
the law enforcement agencies maintain law and order in the country.

Another key theme of this story involves ethics. Our investigations show that most of the dogs
eaten during the Yulin Festival are stolen from unsuspecting owners. Some are transported to the
slaughterhouse with the collars placed on their necks by their owners. The transportation method is also a
huge concern because tens of dogs are crammed into the back of a single van. They are parked in little
wooden cages that cannot allow them to move or enjoy fresh air. Some lose consciousness during
transportation. Research indicates that some dogs die during transportation due to the lack of air.

The methods used to prepare the dog meat is also raising a huge outcry from the international
community. As mentioned before, dogs are beaten to death as the cooks force it to release blood filled
with adrenalin to the meat. They are placed in far removal machines while alive. Some cooks prepare the
meat by placing dogs into boiling water while still alive. These are cruel behaviors. As an animal activist, I
believe that I must fight for the rights of the animals. The human beings do not have the right to ignore the
welfare of these animals. Every human being should consider the ethics of killing dogs mercilessly before
enjoying the meal.