There’s a saying I heard while traveling recently (and I’ll refrain here from citing to whom it referred) that “the only thing with four legs [they] won’t eat is a table.†In contrast there are, with few exceptions, a lot of animals that Americans in particular simply won’t eat; for starters, our beloved Lassies and Fidos, Garfields and Felixes.
It’s not an urban myth, however, that dogs are a delicacy served on special occasions in parts of China. And according to Petspourri.com, it’s not just the neighborhood strays hitting the home plate. Big breeds like Saint Bernards, Great Danes, Newfoundlands and Tibetan Mastiffs are being imported for conspicuous consumption. To each his/her own … just not in my backyard BBQ.
But we should also remember we’re talking about over a billion people and a menu item that’s far, far from commonplace. In fact, the killing of cats or dogs for food has been illegal in Hong Kong for nearly 60 years. And in all fairness, let’s also consider the things that many Americans eat that are considered just plain disgusting in China. These include deer and cow testicles (yum), sheep brains (double yum), 
fish eggs, sausages, goose liver and even cheese (wait, really?), sour cream, sauerkraut and salty bean dishes (all according to maxent.org).
Not that I’ve ever knowingly eaten a Rocky Mountain Oyster. Or dog or cat, for that matter. I mean, this is a pretty old joke but still rings true … can we really know for sure what’s been ground and pressed into that All-American hot dog?
Posted by: Colin Mangham