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July 29, 2006
Dogs Dinner
LOCATION: Luang Prabang, Laos
SEE WHERE WE ARE!
Longitude: N: 19.88496°
Latitude: E: 102.13612°
Miles from Singapore: 2200
Anyone particularly squeamish on animal welfare might want to skip this vlog. There are no blood or guts, but the suggestion of the images is quite distressing. And as someone who gets pretty upset at cruelty towards animals I've found it the most difficult video to edit and post thus far.
I thought about honing it down somewhat or not publishing it at all, but I then reminded myself that this vlog is all about giving you, the viewer, the opportunity to step into a part of the world you might not otherwise get a chance to experience at first hand. And while there are certainly more appetizing aspects of local environments and cultures to share with you - such as the scenery, the wildlife, and the people themselves - what the locals eat is definitely a part of the tapestry that builds a clearer picture of how life is.
I think what makes it especially hard in this case is the obvious faith the animals have in their captor. Unlike wild animals hunted on more equal terms in their native environment, domesticated dogs clearly have a degree of deference and loyalty to humans that makes the story rather more tragic. Even Melissa, who being Chinese prides herself on eating 'anything that can swim, fly or run', found herself being taken aback.
On the flip side one has to remember that although some dogs are considered pets here in Laos, and clearly receive better treatment than others, the vast majority are left to their own devices as scavengers. And in the mountain areas, where people are poorer than in the lowland areas and protein is scarce, a dog is just another animal - like a pig or a goat - living alongside humans but considered a perfectly acceptable source of nutrition when the need arises.
jason
Posted on July 29, 2006 4:17 AM