Thousands of stolen pets are being slaughtered for a Chinese 'dog meat festival' which local authorities said was shut down last year, MailOnline has learned.
The local government in Yulin, central China, said they banned the decades-old local tradition after two million furious campaigners in China called for an end to the bloody practice.
But an undercover investigation has found as many as 10,000 helpless animals - many of them still wearing collars having been stolen away from loving homes - are being brought to the city ahead of the festival on June 22.
Many animals die from shock, starvation and dehydration on the journey. The traumatised ones who do survive are beaten to death or their throats slit in street markets and illegal slaughterhouses, animal rights campaigners told MailOnline.

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT
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