An infamous Chinese festival that slaughters thousands of dogs per year has failed to implement a hoped-for ban on dog meat sales, outraging animal-welfare advocates.

“It seems likely there will not be an overt ban on dog meat sales in the city of Yulin during this year’s summer solstice,” said Irene Feng, the cat and dog animal welfare director for Animals Asia, in a statement. “However, we do believe that the government has had enough and wants to end the global association of Yulin city with the minority practice of eating dog meat.”

In May, the animal-welfare groups Humane Society International and Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project first reported that government officials in Yulin were considering a ban on selling dog meat