Ricky Gervais urges fans to help stop China dog meat trade

Ricky Gervais is asking his 8.6 million fans on Twitter to help him stop the dog and cat meat trade in China.

The animal lover is supporting the Humane Society International (HIS) campaign to halt China’s use of dog and cat meat and encouraging others to sign a petition.

Gervais, 53, posted several tweets explaining the alleged methods of the dog meat traders. In one he wrote "They believe torturing the dog makes the meat tastier. They beat them, burn them, skin & boil them alive! Disgusting sub human c**ts. #Yulin"

In another he provided a link to sign the petition:

Gervais is referencing China’s Yulin Dog Meat Eating Festival which lasts for a week starting on June 21st.  The festival has been called cruel and unwarranted. In 2012, dogs were reportedly skinned alive on the street.

“Up to 10 million dogs are killed for human consumption per year across China, with around 10,000 just at the Yulin festival alone," Humane Society EU International Communications Director Wendy Higgins told FOX411. "Undoubtedly there is still a way to go before we end this cruelty, but it is certainly a dying industry in every respect, and the number of dogs we're seeing killed at Yulin is getting smaller year on year. The protest against this trade from within China itself is what's really heartening and making a massive difference. HSI works with more than 35 animal groups and hundreds of campaigners across China who are outraged at the cruelty and want it to end."

HSI is also grateful to have Gervais’ star power behind the cause.

“HSI has worked with Ricky for quite a few years now on a number of our animal campaigns, he's an incredibly passionate advocate for animals and shares our determination to stop cruelty, so he's a natural fit," Higgins said. "He's tweeted for us about our campaigns to end the dog meat trade before, but this year is the first year we've teamed up with him to appeal directly to the public on a wider scale."