Hong Kong CNN —Police in China have rescued some 1,000 cats from a truck en route to a slaughterhouse, state-affiliated media has reported, busting part of an illicit trade that fraudulently sells feline meat as pork or mutton and sparking fresh food safety concerns. The report did not mention whether any arrests had been made, nor whether the cats were strays or pets. CNN has reached out to the Zhangjiagang police and the animal shelter for comment. Images published by The Paper showed rescued cats at the shelter resting in larger cages. Animal rights and environment groups have long campaigned against the use of animal parts – including from many endangered species – for traditional medicine.

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Persons: Gong Jian, Han Jiali Organizations: Hong Kong CNN — Police, Police, CNN, Local, corgi Locations: Hong Kong, China, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Chinese, Yulin, Guangxi