Horror in Indonesia after rescue over 200 dogs destined for slaughter: Last Saturday, local police intercepted a truckload of animals with their faces and feet bound as they traveled towards the city of Surakarta, Indonesia. The dogs were to be killed and their meat sold for consumption in West Java. Five people were arrested and face up to five years in prison under local law.
Some activists association “Shelter for animals”. in December they reported the meat trafficking, but then lost the traffickers until the local police were able to apprehend those responsible and shut down the business. Indonesia is still one of the few countries in the world that allows the sale of dog and cat meat, despite growing sensitivity among citizens and institutions and more cities imposing local bans on the trade. In Indonesia, this ban does not yet apply to the entire country.
Last March, according to Dog Meat Free Indonesia (Dmfi), Jakarta Governor Heru Budi Hartono made the dog meat trade ban official: 21 provinces have now banned the trade. And hopefully the remaining 17 provinces will very much follow suit. It is therefore up to the regional governments to ban the trade.
Demand for this type of meat is falling across the continent and opposition to the trade is growing, including in Indonesia, especially among younger generations. Although this animal trade is still widespread in the country, it is estimated that only 7% of Indonesians eat dog meat, again according to data from Dog Meat Free Indonesia, considering that 87% of the 270 million local citizens are Muslim and consider dog products forbidden, as well as pork. In fact, the meat is mainly consumed in predominantly Christian areas of the country, such as North Sumatra, North Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara, where only 9% of the population adheres to the precepts of Islam.
Animal rights groups, individual citizens and even many local and international celebrities have repeatedly called for it President Joko Widodo and local officials to commit to enforcing laws that ban the dog and cat meat trade: around 1 million are killed nationwide each year. Lola Webber, Principal of End Dog Meat campaign for Humane Society International, said: “This is pure cruelty: gangs and traders steal and beat thousands of terrified, screaming animals from villages every month. Many of them are beloved family companions. These criminals will prey on and abuse them in broad daylight, leaving them scared and helpless. It is urgent that President Widodo act immediately to stop this carnage.”
Last November, international and local celebrities called on President Joko Widodo in a joint letter to end this brutal killing after rescuing animals from one of the country’s most famous markets, Tomohon Extreme Market. It is one of the most famous wet markets in Asia, famous for selling bats, mice, dogs and cats located on the island of Sulawesi. A trade that, according to information released by HSI, results in about 130,000 dogs being slaughtered each year.
Signatories to the letter praised leaders across the country who have taken steps to eradicate the phenomenon in their respective jurisdictions. But we still have a lot of work to do. The letter acknowledges the fact that most people in Indonesia want a ban. The stars wrote: «We stand firmly with the vast majority of Indonesian citizens and international visitors who oppose the dog and cat meat trade and believe in protecting animals from cruelty and exploitation; and we applaud those leaders who have taken steps to prioritize the health and safety of their citizens.”
Director End the campaign for dog meat, Lola Webber said: “We are so grateful to these Indonesian and global stars who are using their voices to speak on behalf of these silent victims who endure the most horrific abuse. We echo their praise for Indonesian leaders who are working with us to end this cruelty and join them in urging President Widodo to implement a nationwide ban.”