A bear-bile extraction firm's plan for stock market listing has been strongly criticized in online opinions and by animal protection organizations. The case highlights people's growing awareness about animal protection. The idea of harmony between humans and animals is becoming more popular, says an article in Qilu Evening News. Excerpts:

In the eyes of animal rights activists, extracting bile from captive bears for traditional Chinese medicine is too cruel and it must be stopped. However, the company, Fujian Guizhentang Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd, argues that the current methods it has developed for bile extraction are "easy and not harmful".

To better convince people and to deal with the crisis, the company publicly invited media and experts to visit and check the living conditions of its captive bears and the process of extraction. Some opinion leaders denounced the event as possibly staged.

To be frank, no matter whether the visit was staged or whether bile extraction causes agony or not, the intensified debate on bear-bile extraction is not likely to cool down overnight. Fundamentally, it's a conflict of opinions between different groups.

Take the bear-bile extraction case as an example. Staunch animal protectionists advocate human beings should treat animals the way they treat themselves. Humans should not mistreat or kill animals for their own good. These people may oppose experimenting on mice, let along extracting bile from captive bears.

On the other hand, many people use what animals can provide in various ways. They eat meat and wear leather shoes and clothes.

Although the two sides have never convinced each other, a common sense has also been developed between them: Wildlife, especially those species in danger, must be protected for the sake of the ecological environment. The utilizing of wildlife resources should be conducted in ways that reduce pain and, if possible, substitutes should be found. Poultry and livestock should also not be mistreated and killed in cruel ways.

From the examples we have seen, people are giving more care to animals. That's a sign of progress for our social civilization. Social awareness of animal protection has become popular in recent years and it should be continued.

If demand for bear bile or sharks' fins continues, there will always be enterprises running related businesses and more animals will suffer. Now we see more people have changed their buying habits and have joined boycotts of animal products. We expect the movement to get stronger in the future so that situation could become better.