Is it justified to criticize people for eating dog meat?

[IceWizard]

Http://cnn.com/2015/06/18/opinions/china...index.html

(CNN)—Yulin's dog meat "festival," where some 10,000 dogs are slaughtered and served up as meals, is often wrongly assumed to be an ancient Chinese tradition. In fact, the festival only dates back to 2009 when it was launched in the city in China's
southwest to celebrate the summer solstice.

The consumption of dog meat does have
historical precedence in China. At its height during the Han Dynasty (202 - 220 AD), dog meat was considered a delicacy. Yet, dog eating soon lost favor and by the Sui-
Tang dynasties (581 -- 907 AD), dog eating had been rejected as an indecent habit.

Subsequent dynasties valued dogs as helpers
and hunting buddies.

In the 21st century, dog eating is facing strong
criticism inside China. Three decades of
economic expansion has spawned a growing
army of animal lovers and pet owners believed
to be 30 million strong. Of China's estimated 130 million dogs, at least 27 million are urban pets, according to research group Euromonitor.