Days before the controversial "Summer Lychee and Dog Meat Festival" in Yulin city, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, sales of dog meat have plummeted, and vendors predict greatly reduced profits, Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

The city's annual event, which falls on June 21 this year, has attracted a huge public outcry online, and drew protests from animal right protestors who arrived in the city from various parts of the country.

A restaurant owner, surnamed Xie, said his business has been severely affected and sales had fallen by two-thirds. He added that he expected to make less money than in previous years and has reduced dog meat storage.

Many dog meat restaurants covered the word "dog" on their advertising while some put posters on their walls, reading "Protecting the animals".

Dog-loving volunteers have been harassing dog meat vendors.?A restaurant owner, surnamed Ning, received an average 40 calls a day for 10 days, some of which were made late at night and were from Shanxi province, Beijing and Hunan province.

To eat, or not to eat dog meat	Activists move to halt dog meat festival