Coronavirus: Chinese city considering banning eating cats and dogs

Restaurants who serve the banned meat could face fines of up to $45,000.
Restaurants who serve the banned meat could face fines of up to $45,000. Photo credit: Getty Images

A Chinese city is considering banning wildlife meat consumption to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Cats and dogs will be amongst the animals banned from being eaten if the Shenzhen municipal government's draft regulation goes through next week.

The South China Morning Post reported other Chinese delicacies including cats, dogs, snakes, turtles and frogs would also be banned.

But common meats pork, chicken and beef, as well as rabbits, fish and other seafood are on the "white list" which is the nine meats which are considered safe to eat.

Authorities told the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily they chose not to make a "blacklist" because it would have been too exhaustive considering the large number of different species people in China are known to consume.

It comes in response to the coronavirus outbreak which is thought to have originated in wildlife sold at a market in Wuhan in December 2019.

Consuming wild animals has been blamed for helping to spread the virus.

Under the regulation, restaurants caught serving the other meat could face a fine of up to $45,000, The Guardian reported.

If the ban proves successful in Shenzhen, it is possible it could be implemented nationwide.

But the Shenzhen government is framing the new regulations as a way for the public to reconnect with animals that are normally kept as pets.

The Chinese tradition of eating the animals has long been controversial.

The South China Morning Post reported the public will have until March 5 to submit their feedback.