Thumbnail image by Isobel Yeung

Every year, the town of Yulin in southern China comes together for a dog-meat-fueled festival in honor of the Summer Solstice. The annual festival started in the 90s, but eating dog has been part of the culture in some parts of China for millennia. Animal rights activists in the country and around the world condemn the festival and rally against it each year, but even a recent Change.org petition hasn't stopped Yulin from gearing up for 2015's dog meat bacchanal this weekend.

One animal lover cashed in her savings this year to try and buy up the animals before they hit the chopping block. But with an estimated 10,000 dogs and cats (if you're going to eat dog, why not eat cats, too?) lined up to be slaughtered, she can't possibly adopt them all, and people will be feasting on man's best friend at the festival this year, like it or not.

In 2014, we sent host Isobel Yeung to go check out the dog meat festival and pet some of the pooches destined for the slaughterhouse. Watch the documentary above.

1. When Ferrets Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Own Ferrets 2. The Legal and Ethical Quandaries of Getting Your Pet Stoned 3. A Brief History of Scientific Experiments on Cats 4. The Cruelty and Controversy of Beijing's Black Market for Dogs