“Greyhound Racing is Like Roller-Skating”: Dogs, Gambling, and Animal Rights in 20th Century Macau

Research output: Journal PublicationsJournal Article (refereed)peer-review

Abstract

Dog racing was one of the attractions that helped establish Macau’s status as the so-called “Monte Carlo of the orient.” This study uses the case of Macau’s canidrome to shed light on the cultural agency that humans rendered to greyhound dogs as objects of entertainment and vice. It also probes the near absence of discussions on animal welfare in Macanese society and argues that the various legal and social developments regarding animal cruelty and welfare in the post-war period were directed at securing human privileges. From a historical approach, this study examines a century of newspaper coverage regarding the Macau canidrome tracks to not only reveal the slow progress if the city’s animal activism in the city, but also suggest that more focus needs to be given in uprooting the historical perception of dogs as objects first, and living creatures after, from human culture and subconsciousness.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages10
JournalAnimalia: An Anthrozoology Journal
Volume6
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2022
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Animal Welfare
  • Dog Racing
  • Gambling City
  • Macau

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of '“Greyhound Racing is Like Roller-Skating”: Dogs, Gambling, and Animal Rights in 20th Century Macau'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this