In major win for animals, Indonesia’s capital city bans dog and cat meat trades
By Kitty Block
Members of Dog Meat Free Indonesia help save dogs from a truck that had been destined for an illegal slaughterhouse in 2021. Yoma Times Suryadi/AP Images for HSI
Earlier this month, authorities from the Special Area of the City of (DKI) Jakarta—the most populous metropolitan area in Indonesia, which includes the capital city—announced they have banned the dog and cat meat trades, which will save the lives of an estimated 340 dogs and countless cats per day. The move comes in response to an intensive campaign by Dog Meat Free Indonesia, exposing severe animal cruelty and risks to human health from zoonotic diseases inherent in the trade. Humane Society International is proud to be a founding member of the Dog Meat Free Indonesia, a coalition of organizations that includes HSI, Jakarta Animal Aid Network, Four Paws, Animals Asia and Animal Friends Jogja. Jakarta is the 21st jurisdiction in Indonesia to ban the trade.
At a meeting with Dog Meat Free Indonesia on March 1, the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta stated that it is drafting a regional law and associated governor’s directive that will strengthen the directive and result in active enforcement to shut down all dog and cat-meat associated operations.
The news is being celebrated both locally and internationally. An opinion poll revealed that 93% of Indonesians support a national dog meat ban and just 4.5% have ever consumed dog meat. And celebrities active in raising awareness about the plight of dogs and cats in the meat trade commended the local authorities for passing the ban via video messages—actress Kim Basinger, comedian Ricky Gervais and British actor Peter Egan all thanked Jakarta authorities for taking action, alongside national celebrities such as Luna Maya and Davina Veronica.
Jakarta’s ban on the dog and cat meat trades is a major win that is being celebrated by the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition—Humane Society International, Jakarta Animal Aid Network, Four Paws, Animals Asia and Animal Friends Jogja. Dog Meat Free Indonesia
When the prohibition was officially announced, Ibu Ir. Suharini Eliawati M.Si, Head of the Food Security and Agriculture Department for Jakarta, added that the “plan is also to educate people to not consume dog meat, and to be responsible animal owners,” reflecting how dogs and cats are increasingly being viewed in the region, as pet ownership rises rapidly.
In other parts of Indonesia, too, authorities have been cracking down on the trade. In 2021, in collaboration with the Dog Meat Free Indonesia, the authorities of Sukoharjo intercepted a truck carrying 53 terrified dogs as it arrived at an illegal slaughterhouse. In a win for enforcement of the law, the dog trafficker was sentenced to a record 17-month jail term, marking the country’s second-ever prosecution of dog meat traders under animal health and safety laws and representing a milestone in the global campaign to protect dogs from being slaughtered for food.
The cruelty inherent in the dog and cat meat trade is now well known all over the world. Across Indonesia, more than 1 million dogs and hundreds of thousands of cats are killed every year for meat, most of them stolen pets or strays, snatched from the streets and illegally trafficked on grueling journeys to slaughterhouses that are sometimes hours and hours away. Many die during this long ordeal from heatstroke, dehydration or injuries inflicted during capture and transport. Those who survive are taken to makeshift slaughterhouses where they are bludgeoned and killed.
In Asia, the trade in and slaughter, sale and consumption of dogs has also ended in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Siem Reap in Cambodia and two major cities in mainland China. In South Korea, a government-initiated task force is currently considering a ban. We hope that a national ban is on the horizon for Indonesia and other countries where the dog meat trade still exists, and we will keep fighting to ensure that dogs and cats are afforded the compassion that they deserve.
Follow Kitty Block on Twitter @HSUSKittyBlock.
Undercover at wildlife killing ‘contest’ where 405 coyotes were slaughtered in 45 hours
At the end of a macabre “contest” in Mendon, Illinois, a young boy carries the lifeless bodies of coyotes streaked with blood and torn apart by bullets. He walks across blood-soaked pavement, struggling under the weight of the animals as he helps to load the . . .
Victory! Cruel hunting methods in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge were just defeated
In a massive victory for wildlife in Alaska, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week that it was withdrawing its 2020 proposed rule that would have allowed trophy hunters on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge to lure brown bears to their deaths with . . .
Nearly 200 dogs saved from slaughter as HSI shuts down 18th dog meat farm
Not long ago, our Humane Society International team in South Korea discovered yet another heartbreaking scene on a dog meat farm: Dozens and dozens of dogs were locked in feces-filled cages awaiting slaughter. Many were pregnant, days away from giving birth to puppies who would . . .
A decade’s worth of wins against cosmetics animal testing
Tomorrow, March 11, 2023, marks the 10-year anniversary of a historic paradigm shift away from cosmetics animal testing. When the European Union and Israel became the world’s first markets to ban animal tests for cosmetics such as makeup, shampoo and cologne, the change jump-started our . . .
Major win: 450 local communities have banned the sale of puppies in pet stores
This week, Indianapolis became the 450th locality in the nation to prohibit the sale of puppy mill puppies in pet stores. The passage of this ordinance also means that half of the 20 largest cities in the nation won’t allow puppy mill puppies to be . . .
What we found undercover at infamous trophy hunting convention
Elephant-skin luggage and leopard claw jewelry are just some of the supposedly luxurious products our undercover investigator discovered at Safari Club International’s annual hunting convention, where more than 850 exhibitors convened in February in Nashville, Tennessee. As disturbing as the artifacts of animals already lost . . .
For the first time, birds receive protection under the Animal Welfare Act
In a monumental step forward for birds who are often exploited in the pet trade, exhibitions and breeding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has just enacted federal protections for birds used in commerce. This win is the result of a decades-long legal effort by animal . . .
Rescuing and reuniting animals after Türkiye’s devastating earthquakes
The devastation wrought by earthquakes in Türkiye earlier this year is almost unfathomable. Our rescue team is still on the ground, honored to bring some joy and relief to survivors, who lost virtually everything, by reuniting them with their animals. With each passing day, our . . .
Animal Care Expo is building a stronger animal protection movement
We’re looking forward to Animal Care Expo 2023, which takes place this year in New Orleans. In anticipation, Hilary Hager, our vice president of outreach, engagement and training, reflects on how Expo brings people together and strengthens the animal protection movement. The first time I . . .
Exploring the rich, overlooked history of Black animal activism
I recently wrote about how all people, no matter their circumstances, have an inherent connection with animals. The composition of the animal protection movement, however, has not always reflected everyone’s voice. Recently our staff had the pleasure of hearing historian Paula Tarankow, who holds a . . .
We’re on the ground in Turkey to help save animals
Over the weekend, our disaster relief team arrived in Turkey (Türkiye) to provide emergency relief to thousands of dogs, cats and other animals in the aftermath of the devastating and fatal 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the region earlier this month. When the first team . . .
