<div><p>Since it's launch in 2010, the <a href="https://www.shared.com/this-greyhound-was-rescued-from-a-dog-meat-festival-see-what-she-looks-like-now-video/">Yulin Lychee and Dog Meat Festiva</a>l has stirred global controversy for its mistreatment of canines. </p><p>The 10-day annual festival was notorious for slaughtering thousands of dogs and and selling the meat to attendees. This prompted animal advocates around the world to speak out and stand against such barbarian acts. </p><p>Thankfully, their cries did not go unheard. </p><p>On May 17th, Humane Society International and Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project confirmed in a <a href="http://blog.humanesociety.org/wayne/2017/05/breaking-news-dog-meat-sales-chinas-yulin-festival-likely-banned-2017.html">joint statement</a> that the infamous festival has been banned from selling dog meat. </p><p>The ban is reportedly led by Yulin's new Party Secretary, Mo Gong Ming and will "prohibit restaurants, street vendors and market traders from selling dog meat at the event."</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/C_pyANNXsAA8DX8.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/C_pyANNXsAA8DX8_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/C_pyANNXsAA8DX8_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/C_pyANNXsAA8DX8_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/C_pyANNXsAA8DX8_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/C_pyANNXsAA8DX8_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/C_pyANNXsAA8DX8_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/C_pyANNXsAA8DX8_GH_content_1150px.jpg 1150w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>"If this news is true as we hope, it is a really big nail in the coffin for a gruesome event that has come to symbolize China's crime-fueled dog meat trade," said Peter Li, China policy specialist at Humane Society International.</p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>As of now, the ban has yet to be made public by the Yulin government, however National Geographic <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/05/china-yulin-dog-meat-festival-sales-bans-animals/" target="_blank">reports</a> that the internal order was leaked to animal-rights advocates unbeknownst to the government officials. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/rescued-dogs-yulin-dog-meat-festival-china-5.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/rescued-dogs-yulin-dog-meat-festival-china-5_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/rescued-dogs-yulin-dog-meat-festival-china-5_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/rescued-dogs-yulin-dog-meat-festival-china-5_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/rescued-dogs-yulin-dog-meat-festival-china-5_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>"The government was reportedly furious, but they couldn't figure out who leaked it," said Li, who thinks that the news was leaked verbally. "The local officials we talked to in 2015 said that they stopped issuing written documents."</p><p>According to reports, the internal memo also ordered Yulin officials not to visit the festival or dog-meat restaurants in an attempt to dissociate from the controversy.</p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>The city will begin to enforce the new ban on June 15, a week before the festival is scheduled to begin. Offenders will face up to $14,500 in fines as well as possible jail time. </p><p>This certainly is a step in the right direction. What do you think?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>