TAIWAN BANS DOG MEAT

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's parliament has passed a law banning people from eating dog meat.

Under the new legislation, the meat and fur of pets such as dogs and cats are banned from being used for economic purposes.

Anyone found violating the law is liable to pay a fine of $300.

"I have been a dog lover since my childhood," said lawmaker Wang Hsin-nan of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, who was behind the bill.

Wang said eating dog meat was understandable during hard times, when the meat was viewed as a source of nutrition.

"But things have changed, given Taiwan's dynamic economic development for many years," Wang told the French news agency AFP.