Shenzhen, located in the southern Guangdong province, became the first city in China to ban the consumption of cats and dogs this week.
The order is part of a new legislation titled 'Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Regulations on the Comprehensive Ban on Wild Animals', passed by the Shenzhen Municipal Peoples Congress.
The law, which comes into effect from May 1 later this year, also prohibits the breeding, sale, and consumption of protected wildlife species, including snakes and lizards.
The consumption of the following wild animals and their products is prohibited, according to the legislation:.
(1) National key protected wild animals and other terrestrial wild animals that naturally grow and reproduce in the wild environment;.
It is to be noted that the Chinese government had announced a permanent ban on the sale and consumption of wild animals in February to curb the spread of coronavirus.
However, some reports claimed that wet animal markets - where wild animals are sold - are now reopening in Wuhan and other parts of China. »
