Heard it is pretty common in the north/north east...esp Dongbei...

But to say it is uncivilized is a bit of a stretch. Vegetarians and PETA followers also say factory farming is barbaric.
As someone with an interest in anthropology, every culture/group has it's own practices others find abhorrent, wouldn't you agree?

One might level the same argument against ostrich or kangaroo meat being sold in EU supermarkets for consumption...