Capitalism is a dog s best friend

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'Market forces'�- the Thatcherite credo that has dominated modern business life - has come to the rescue of tens of thousands of dogs in TaiwanThe government of Taiwan has moved to end the eating of dogs, - or 'fragrant meat' as it is known locally.

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And one of the major factors behind the welcome bad is the onset of increasing consumerism and the desire to project a more modern international image - which in turn will help smooth business deals.

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Eating dog meat was once highly favoured by poorer sections of Taiwanese society and dog meat can still found in local markets and the many local restaurants in the south of the country. In a poor country like Taiwan 'mutton hotpot' was regarded as good source of nutrition.

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But the Taiwanese are determined that the nation should be seen to be enlightened and a year after first being proposed a bill banning the exploitation of meat and fur from dog and cats for economic gain has been passed by the parliament in Taipei."I have been a dog lover since my childhood," said Wang Hsin-nan, an MP from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, who backed the bill. "But things have changed, given Taiwan's dynamic economic development over many years."

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One feared downside of the ban is an increase in the amount of strays on the streets – as around 30 per cent of those trapped by dog-catchers were sold to restaurants.

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Animal rights supporters welcomed the move, but there is still a long way to go internationally – and even in britain despite its reputation as a country of animal lovers.

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The RSPCA have just reported the case of seven abandoned puppies were snatched from a refuse lorry just minutes before they would have been crushed in a rubbish compactor.