Amid intense criticism from animal rights groups and people across the world, residents of a small city in southern China plan to organize an annual dog-meat festival. Residents of Yulin in Guangxi province have the festival as an ancient summer solstice tradition.

As per animal rights groups, thousands of dogs are slaughtered during the festival every year. Dogs are electrocuted, burned and skinned alive. In China, dog's meat is considered a healthy wintertime dish that doctors recommends for the treatment of maladies like impotence.

Activists made several attempts to block the event by adopting different measures like open letters and street protests. On Monday, a group of 25 animal rights activists have put up unfurled banners in front of the city government office and asked to end the festival. But they were pushed away by unidentified men.

The city's dog market has become place for clashes of supporters and opponents of the festival. Some activists have even requested the UK and US governments to intervene and stop the festival. Activists said that government can stop the festival and it should.

Despite the complaints, Yulin residents continue to eat dogs. Liang Xiaoli, one of the Yulin residents, said that it is one their traditions. "They criticise us, saying we don't have compassion or humanity, but I think every person has different circumstances. You can't just lump all people together".

Another dog meat supporter said that there are different cultural norms about what one can eat, one can eat turkey, so why people are trying to force not to eat dog meat.