According to a Reuters article there is a shift within the Chinese society how dogs (and cats) are perceived.

Even though dog meat is still a delicacy and pooches are farmed and slaughtered for meat and fur, many Chinese people begin to treat their dogs like pets - like North American pets, showering them with the best food, toys, clothes and bling-bling.
That shift, and the fact that Beijing is getting ready for the Olympics this summer, leads to more and more restaurants restrictions for selling and serving dog meat.

My first thought was: "Big Deal". Just one dog slaughtered means that one couldn't pay me enough to visit China. It also means that I will avoid buying products made in China whenever possible.

On second thought, I realized that we aren't really that different. There are two types of dogs - the ones that are family members and treated almost like humans (or better), and the ones that serve a laboratory test animals. Or the ones that are homeless, abused, euthanized.

My heart goes out for the Chinese dogs that suffer incredibly because they, for some people, taste good - or because wearing their skin seems appealing to some twisted humans. But I also feel for the ones here that rarely receive any media attention and are not protected by our laws.

Article can be found at http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSHKG20620820080317