Eating cats and dogs

This has been on my mind over the last day or so. The question is, who is right?

I was brought up in a country where the main meats to consume were, beef, sheep, pigs and chicken. With the occasional venison (deer) in the corner alongside the hare and goat. In the deep supermarket freezer, you could also find turkey, duck and a few other birds. Of course fish was readily available.

We dont have snakes, raccoons, tigers, bears, squirrels, hamsters, crocodiles, moose, elephants, rhinos etc roaming free. These animals are in zoos. The *normal* family pets were/are cats and dogs.. people would also keep rats, mice, birds and guinea pigs. People on farms and lifestyle blocks would also keep horses - to ride, not to eat. Alpacas are a nice animal to keep aswell but for the wool and for the sake of having them, again, not to eat.

So when it comes to the likes of China (I'm not sure is any other countries eat them), who eat dogs and cats regularly.. are they right in doing so? To me, no, they're not as they're eating animals that are meant to be family pets. To them, they are doing what they've done for hundreds of years. It isnt just one person, its an entire nation. They were obviously brought up thinking that this is right. Just because I was brought up differently, does it mean that its actually wrong?

I think it may even be treated as a festival which happens at certain times of the year.

I have been somewhat disgusted for years over knowing that they eat these animals.. the animals that I class as a huge part of a family. I first found out about the shock treatment a few years ago and I know they use them on Saint Bernards. I absolutely love St Bernard dogs. The big goobiness of them drooling everywhere.. they're gorgeous beasts who are lovely family dogs. Over here, they cost so much money - if you want a puppy, it will cost you about $1800.

Clearly, there ARE things which people have done for generations which ARE wrong and need to be stopped, but who draws the line with the animals consumption lists? I think its the Muslim (?) that dont eat beef, and treat cows as if they're trophys. I guess I would be the 'Chinaman' in this situation as I eat beef on a very regular basis.

I guess there are always 2 sides to every story and I actually never thought that I would ever get to the point of understanding that in this kind of case. I hope that doesnt mean that I'm getting old.