China’s Booming Pet Acupuncture Trend Spotlights Its Burgeoning Love for Animals

China’s relationship status with animals: It’s complicated.

The world’s most populous nation has an unfortunate track record for animal cruelty, thrown into sharp focus by last month’s Yulin Dog Meat Festival, during which an estimated 1,000 canines were bludgeoned to death and eaten.

Some 10 million dogs are devoured in China every year, say animal welfare activists, mostly stolen pets or snatched strays.