Cat Curry at UK Takeaways?
There is a story that a person bought a curry from a takeaway and after she ate it something got stuck in her teeth. She could not remove it. She went to her dentist who removed it. It was a cat or dog microchip.Microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and made of glass on the outside. Is this a made up story, an urban myth circulated on the internet for our amusement or is it real?
In a television documentary about the European horsemeat scandal in 2013, a lamb curry bought at a London takeaway which was sold as “Lamb Pussanda” was DNA tested for its meat content. The takeaway did not contain any of these meats: lamb, beef, chicken, pork, goat, horse.
The result baffled the experts. They were left with the possibility that the meat was either cat or dog. When we don’t know where the meat comes from, you don’t know how the animal was slaughtered or whether the animal was healthy. All the rules are thrown out of the window.
We know that in some parts of China and other Asian countries it is considered acceptable to eat cat and dog. In Europe it is unacceptable. It is quite feasible that some restaurants in Europe and America use cat and dog meat.
These two unconnected stories indicate that there may be some criminal activity at takeaway restaurants owned by families (independent businesses rather then large chains). To serve cat meat described as lamb would be a crime and a breach of contract (criminal and civil matter).
If it is true there would also be a criminal aspect in respect of how the cat or dog was kept and killed before being prepared for a curry. Sorry if this is difficult reading.
Personally, I never buy takeaways from what I consider to be seedy, independent operators in slightly run-down shopping areas. I get a sense that hygiene and following the law are not priorities in these places.
Almost all independent takeaways in the London area are owned by people who have a different culture to the English culture. I don’t know what is going on and therefore don’t want to point a finger at anyone. These stories just make me think and become wary about what is happening to stray cats and dogs.
It is also a good reason to do what Ruth and Babz do: become a vegetarian.
Link to photographer’s photostream