Come Saturday, an annual traditional festival will be held in southeast China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region where fine dining literally goes to the dogs!

At the Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, an estimated 10,000 dogs will be slaughtered in a single day where its meat will be served as 'hot-pots' with lychee and strong liquor.

The event is aimed at celebrating the summer solstice - the hottest day of the year - according to the Chinese Lunar calendar.

Nevertheless, the festival has again triggered a barrage of arguments between dog-meat connoisseurs and animal rights activists.

While diners describe the festival as "a cultural thing", the others tag as "unbearably brutal".

Chinese celebrities, animal rights activists, lawyers and food safety experts have begun protesting against the festival and called for a boycott over the event on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo.

"Dog meat is not listed in the food quarantine and inspection for supervision, which creates safety risks in the processing and eating of dog meat," China Daily quoted Beijing Small Animal Veterinary Association director Liu Lang.

Liu also highlighted the risk which butchers who slaughtered dogs faced.

They could easily be infected with rabies if the animals were not properly quarantined, he warned.

However, some local residents insist the festival is a traditional event and do not want it halted.

"It is our tradition and our right to eat dog meat. If we are cruel and brutal, what about those who eat pork, beef and chicken?" asked Wei Zhengde, a 28-year-old Yulin resident in an interview with China Daily.