To our supporters and fellow advocates:

As Duo Duo’s mom (see what the name of Duo Duo 多多 means ) and as a member of the Board of Directors of Duo Duo Project, it is my great honor to share an update on the extraordinary progress we have made since we first posted our petition on Change.org in 2014. That year we broke records on Change.org by garnering over a million signatures urging the Chinese government to end the annual Yulin dog meat “festival.”  All thanks to you, our efforts were featured across international media.

Over the past few years, we have submitted the petition to the following Chinese government offices:
1) Chinese Embassy in San Francisco
2) The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries in Beijing, China
3) The Governor of Guanxi Province, where Yulin is located
4) The Mayor of Yulin
Unfortunately, officials acknowledge the petitions but none of them gave an official response. We do believe that with the long list of names, they are aware that there is international outrage that tarnishes their image throughout the world.

But we have remained steadfast in our work to pressure the government and local actors to enforce existing laws on the transportation and sale of dogs for meat. Our work has included a larger effort to change the culture and landscape in those places where people are still eating dogs. Our hard work is paying off in more ways than we could have imagined. To name just a few major ones:

-- As a response to the global outcry around the Yulin festival, China’s Foreign Ministry announced in 2016 that “Yulin’s government has never supported or organized ‘the so-called Yulin Dog Meat Festival.’” This is historic.  China’s Foreign Ministry hardly discussed any non-international political affairs.

-- In May of 2020, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs made official its declaration that dogs are companions and not “livestock” for eating.

-- In May of 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs made an official announcement that “Along with the progress of human civilization and the increasing concern of the public on animal protection, dogs have been ‘evolved’ from traditional livestock to companion animals.”

-- In May of 2020, Chinese cities including Shenzhen and Zhuhai banned the dog meat trade outright.

We will not rest until the trade has been abolished. But it is important to reflect on the progress we’ve made in six short years since we posted our petition on Change.org. We have decided to now close this petition and focus on our innovative programs aimed at stopping the dog meat trade at its roots. For more detail on our current programs and our strategic plan over the next 2-5 years, please visit our blog at 2020-and-Beyond.

We encourage you to check out our newly designed website, sign up for our newsletter,   and continue to support and amplify our message. This is the best way to stay engaged and informed of our progress. You’ll also find opportunities to donate, sponsor a dog, and shop from our online store where 100% of funds are used to support our "end the dog meat trade" campaigns.

Never underestimate the power of our collective voice for change. Join us in the fight for our best friends.  With your support and your dedication, together we WIN.

With utmost admiration and gratitude,

Martha Lackritz-Peltier

Board Member, Duo Duo's Mom, Duo Duo Project