Thousands of dogs to be slaughtered in Chinese festival

Dogs are known for being faithful companions and helpers to those in need, but in some parts of the world they are regarded as nothing more than livestock.

An annual dog meat festival in Yulin, China has attracted the attention of animal lovers and activitists worldwide, and many are now working to put an end to the event, reports The Telegraph.

According to Shanghaiist, a recent petition asking that nation's government outlaw the annual happening gathered 11 million signatures prior to being submitted to authorities.

Despite the success of the campaign, some believe the government will not halt what has proven to be a lucrative trade, notes TIME.

This year's festival is expected to begin on June 21.

Last year, activists were able to reduce the number of dogs used from the typical 10,000 to just 2,000 by staging rescues and protests.

See the activists who are fighting against this festival: