93% of Indonesians Say 'No' to Dog Meat: Will This Spark a National Ban and Save Thousands from Rabies Risk?

Animal lovers rally outside Indonesia’s parliament in Jakarta calling for a national dog and cat meat trade ban — Source: Dog Meat Free Indonesia

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In Jakarta, the heart of Indonesia, a wave of compassionate citizens gathered outside the House of Representatives, united by a single cause: to urge the government to end the harrowing dog and cat meat trades.

Every year, over a million beloved pets are snatched away, trafficked, and subjected to a cruel fate for their meat, enduring agonizing trips that many don’t survive—victims of heatstroke, dehydration, disease, or the violence of their capture and transport.

Those who miraculously endure these ordeals are met with a grim end in slaughterhouses and markets, where they meet their demise in sight of their fellow companions.

This poignant demonstration, spearheaded by the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition along with Animals Hope Shelter and the support of five other national groups, was sparked by a recent event where 226 dogs were saved from this fate in Central Java.

This rally is especially timely, coming on the heels of South Korea’s landmark decision to ban the dog meat industry, a move that activists hope will inspire similar action in Indonesia.

Research in Indonesia and across the region has highlighted the severe rabies risk associated with the dog meat trade, showing how it enables the spread of this deadly disease and complicates efforts to eradicate it, thereby putting the ASEAN goal of eliminating dog-mediated rabies by 2030 at risk.

A survey conducted by Nielsen in January 2021, on behalf of DMFI, found overwhelming public support against this trade: 93% of Indonesians are in favor of a nationwide ban on dog meat, with less than 5% ever having tried dog meat.

Additionally, 88% believe that the problems related to the dog meat trade and its consumption demand urgent action from all political factions.

Here is a link to the video archives. Warning: They are extremely hard to watch, but they highlight the brutal plight of these innocent dogs.