17.328 NEEDED
China is allowing the production of bones coming from captive-bred
tigers so they can be used as tonic wine – despite the fact that such practices
have been dubbed illegal since 1993.
China’s government points out that this procedure does not apply to
captive tigers – what high-ranking officials in Beijing are failing to
highlight is the fact that these tigers were actually wild ones before being
apprehended and ruthlessly placed in captivity. China currently holds some
5, 000 tigers in captivity.
A century ago, there were over 100, 000 pure wild tigers. Now, their
numbers has dramatically decreased to less than 4, 000 and China has played an
important role in this unimaginable collapse.
The entire fuss is that tiger bone tonic wine is highly regarded for
its medicinal properties – it is believed to cure anything from muscle pain to
rheumatism, arthritis and stimulate blood flow. It has been used for decades in
Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The tiger bones are placed in the magic liquid and left there until
the bottle is removed and shipped to stores
China has pledged to combat tiger poaching and has always argued it
is capable to stick to this plan – this pledge was taken most recently when
Prince William visited China during an official visit to discuss wildlife. On
the other hand, China is allowing the massive farming of tigers – these poor
animals are confined in small cages, with basic food and water and with no room
to move a muscle, before they are inhumanely destroyed for their bones.
This is just wrong on so many levels.
Please take a moment to support this cause and urge the Chinese
government to ban the use of all tiger products in medicine! Help end the tiger
farming industry in China right now and ask Chinese pharmacists to find other
cures to the above-mentioned symptoms!
News Source: http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2013/02/china-allowing-sale-of-tiger-bone-wine/