Sign this petition to put an end to the inhumane Yulin Dog Meat Festival. It is a potential breeding ground for outbreak of an epidemic. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government is at a historical juncture. "Dogs at the fair are in great concentration, with most dogs either dying or with illness. Please support us! Handoout/Du Yufeng/Bo Ai Animal Protection Center Sign the petition urging Chinese President Xi Jinping to save the puppies and stop the Yulin Dog Meat Festival now!

It has attracted thousands of visitors every year, many of whom pick live dogs from cramped cages to cook and eat. Video from this year's Yulin festival, sent to CBS News by activists, shows vendors butchering dozens of slaughtered dogs on long tables, without wearing face masks.

"This year's dog meat festival is the same as before, with very few [people] wearing masks," said Du Yufeng, a veteran Chinese animal rights campaigner who has been in Yulin since the fair opened over the weekend. Now the decorations just tout "delicious meat."

More than 11 million have signed a petition to end the sadistic festival. Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The Yulin Dog Meat Festival is a business operation that undermines the national and public interest. Please support us!Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. Please don't let these dogs … But it's not enough. She said the people she spoke to just replied that they weren't breaking any laws. This is very encouraging. "The temporary national ban on eating wild animals is still in place, and the national government is currently drafting laws expected to bring in permanent new restrictions on the trade in and consumption of wild animals. "I do hope Yulin will change, not only for the sake of the animals but also for the health and safety of its people," said Li, of the Humane Society. Please support us!Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. "Coronavirus pandemics are caused by a huge concentration of animals of different species — animals with compromised immune systems," Dr. Peter Li, a China policy specialist with Humane Society International, told CBS News. Du, founder of the Bo Ai Animal Protection Center in China's Sichuan Province, has been fighting against the Yulin festival for eight years. Cat meat, fresh lychee fruits and liquor are also on offer.Dog meat has long been believed to bring good health and luck in certain parts of China, but the practice is taboo and deeply offensive to much of the rest of the world — and to many Chinese. Please support us!Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. This petition had 4,784,834 supporters Raise UR Paw started this petition to Governor of Yulin GuangXi Province China - Mr. Chen Wu and 1 other We at "RAISE UR PAW" need the voices and paws of the world to be raised to help ban the YULIN DOG MEAT EATING FESTIVAL which takes place every year in Yulin, China every June. It is estimated that since 2009, almost 15,000 dogs were consumed during "festivities." Many animal rights activists, including Du, believe that should be interpreted as a ban on dog meat consumption.

Please support us!Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. "This fair is just a breeding ground for another virus outbreak," said Du. Yulin Dog Meat Festival (or Lychee and Dog Meat Eating Festival) is a controversial festival held in Yulin, Guangxi during the summer solstice in June. "This is one of the major reasons why the foreign countries criticize China, and it is awful and true — we can't deny it," wrote another user.However, some Weibo users have defended the practice, suggesting criticism is part of a conspiracy in the West to blame China for the coronavirus and other global woes. The Dog Meat Festival must end. "Please abolish this tradition and let's make a change together," reads one post. It is a highly controversial event and garners criticism from people around the world, as well as in China. According to animal rights group Animals Asia, it's estimated that in China alone, 10 million dogs and 4 million cats, are slaughtered for meat every year.Be in the know. While the city To continue speaking up, sign these other petitions as well:For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. Fight for the innocent, Inc. started this petition to Yulins Munincipal government and. Handoout/Du Yufeng/Bo Ai Animal Protection Center

The cross-infection is serious. Protesters hold signs near the Yulin Dog Meat Festival as the annual fair takes place, in Yulin, China, June 22, 2020. In April they became the first cities in China to ban the practice.The vast majority of Chinese people don't eat dog meat and want to see the Yulin festival come to an end, for the sake of both animal welfare and food safety. "Dog meat is very safe, much safer than salmon," insisted one poster, referring to the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing, which some Chinese scientists say may have come from salmon imported from Europe. Others simply defend it as a valued tradition, with messages such as: "This is our custom, not your business." Watch live: Postmaster general testifies before Senate panelBiden accepts Democratic nomination, vowing to unite countryCalifornia wildfires kill at least 5, force thousands to evacuateEx-Postal Service official: White House involved in slowing mailDoctor claims "no poisons" found in Russian opposition leader36 Purdue University students suspended after off-campus partyBattleground Tracker: Latest polls, state of the race and more5 things to know about CBS News' 2020 Battleground TrackerMichelle Obama closes out DNC first night with emotional speechWith more mail-in ballots, officials urge patience on election nightAmericans and the right to vote: Why it's not easy for everyoneDemocrats are happy with Biden's VP pick: CBS News pollWhy some mail-in ballots are rejected and how to make sure your vote countsWhat happens if the president doesn't accept the election results?Election Day could turn into "Election Week" with rise in mail ballotsProtesters hold signs near the Yulin Dog Meat Festival as the annual fair takes place, in Yulin, China, June 22, 2020.