No Dog Meat for Olympics

China has banned dog meat from appearing on the menus of any restaurant deemed "official" for the 2008 Olympics, to avoid offending foreign visitors.

Known as "fragrant meat" in China, dog is often eaten for medicinal purposes. But restaurants that have been honored as "official" have been told they must offer alternatives to the delicacy for any customers ordering it during the course of the event. Failure to do so will result in the restaurant's being blacklisted. Further, surrounding, "non-official" restaurants and eateries have been encouraged to follow suit.

This is just one of many changes China has instituted to avoid visitors being offended or "amused" by local customs. Residents have also been told to line-up as Westerners do, smile, and not spit in the streets.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008