Participants at a government forum to discuss the practices of animal release and pig sacrifice called for regulatory amendments as a first step toward addressing the controversial customs and protecting animals.
The forum, which was held at the Forestry Bureau on Friday, included academics, religious leaders, environmentalists and officials from local and central governments.
Participants tackled issues such as whether pig sacrifice competitions contravened animal welfare and whether animal release practices put local ecosystems at risk, the Council of Agriculture told a press conference over the weekend to publicize the forum’s conclusions.
Fangsheng (放生), the release of animals that are to slated for slaughter to save their lives, is a custom practiced by some Buddhist organizations. The practice can be seen at temples, where worshippers buy pigeons trapped in nets and set them free, or at religious events, where a large number of fish bought from fishermen are released into streams or the ocean.
The practice of sacrificing “divine pigs” involves forcibly fattening the pigs before they are slaughtered as sacrifices for cultural festivals and competitions which are held to honor whoever raises the heaviest pig.
Environmentalists and animal-rights activists have opposed both customs for years.
Following heated discussions between the groups, the council said an initial consensus to recalibrate the concept of “releasing life to safeguard life” had been reached.
The groups were asked to discuss how to turn animal-release practices into other meaningful ways of protecting life and the ecosystem.
The bureau was asked to amend the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法) to include regulations on how animals should be released, while the Fisheries’ Agency was asked to set up rules to regulate the release of aquatic animals.
The conclusion did not mention imposing a ban on animal releases, but said stricter inspections should be implemented to avoid illegal capture and selling of wildlife, as well as to monitor the ecosystem in areas where the animals are released.
The council said that while pig sacrifice is a traditional custom and should be respected, the competition to come up with the heaviest pig should be reconsidered and alternative criteria considered.
The forum also suggested that government agencies should work together to communicate better with public and religious groups and promote creative ways of using rice, flowers, or other eco-friendly materials to replace divine pigs.
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