13 hours ago
Public outrage as China online sellers pull teeth from black dogs to ward off evil spirits
A live streaming session in China during which the teeth of black dogs were extracted on air 'raw and without anaesthesia' in an apparent attempt to ward off evil spirits has sparked public outrage.
The online controversy began to unfold on June 12 when an online viewer surnamed Meng, from Jiangsu province in southeastern China, reported that she stumbled upon a live stream session in which people were prying open the mouths of black dogs and using crude tools to extract their teeth.
At first, Meng assumed the items being sold were fake, but she soon realised they were real.
The people holding the live streams pull open the mouths of black dogs and extract their teeth. Photo: handout
According to photos shared by Meng, the snouts of several dogs were wrapped in white cloth and placed on a workbench, and bloodstains on their teeth were clearly visible.
'Whenever someone placed an order during the live streaming, he would immediately pick up his tools and extract a tooth,' Meng told Cover News.
She left a comment in the live stream chat questioning what was going on, which prompted the seller to block her.
One seller, surnamed Li, claimed that teeth from older dogs fetch higher prices due to a belief that they are more effective at warding off misfortune.
