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Dog lovers around the world are celebrating a big victory for animal welfare. Among those activists are actress Kim Basinger, comedian Ricky Gervais, and actor Peter Egan, who have all been big animal advocates throughout their careers. This time, the good news is that the city of Jakarta, Indonesia, has finally banned the dog meat trade.
In Jakarta, about 340 dogs were killed every day for meat even though 93% of people in Indonesia are against the sale and consumption of dog meat. This ban won’t stop the dog meat trade completely, but it’s a huge step in the right direction.
Thousands of Dogs Saved
Every year, millions of dogs and cats are killed across Indonesia for meat. Many of them are strays or family pets that are illegally stolen and transported to locations where their meat is in high demand. Sadly, many dogs die in painful, prolonged ways during transport, such as heat stroke, dehydration, and injuries. If any dogs survived, they were usually bludgeoned to death in front of the other dogs.
So, not only is killing canine companions for meat a horrific practice, but the way it’s done is beyond cruel. Governor Heru of Jakarta finally acknowledged this cruelty by taking action and banning the dog and cat meat trade in Indonesia’s capital city.
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Before this ban, about 9,520 dogs were killed per month, many of which were shipped from areas where rabies is common. Thus, this ban will keep humans safe in addition to saving the lives of many animals.
“A dog and cat meat trade ban in Indonesia’s capital city Jakarta is hugely significant, not just because of the thousands of animals killed every year for the city’s trade, but also because it recognizes that this cruel trade risks spreading rabies,” said Lola Webber from Humane Society International. “Jakarta’s rabies-free status is jeopardized every day that the dog meat trade continues to traffic dogs of unknown disease status into the city. We hope the Indonesian government will take the next step of banning this awful trade for good so that no more dogs or cats have to suffer this cruelty in the future.”
Celebrities Thank the Governor
After the ban in Jakarta, many campaigners reached out to thank Governor Heru for his decision. Kim Basinger, Peter Egan, and Ricky Gervais all sent in videos thanking the governor.
“Thank you Governor Heru for your leadership in taking this brave and tremendously powerful step to ban the cruel, dangerous, and illegal dog meat trade in Jakarta. Your actions send a very clear message–dogs are not food. These laws to prohibit dog meat will have far-reaching impacts, protecting both animals and people. Dogs are a true gift to all of us on this planet. They are our companions who serve mankind loyally. They must be protected from the abusive and unimaginably cruel dog meat trade,” said Kim Basinger.
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“I’d like to add my voice to the millions of others in calling for a ban on the dog meat trade in Indonesia. The message is clear, dogs are not food,” Ricky Gervais said.
“Thank you Governor Heru for your great leadership and compassion in taking action to ban the dog meat trade in Jakarta. Your actions will protect animals and safeguard communities’ health and welfare. I would like to add my voice to the millions of others in calls for a ban on the dog meat trade throughout Indonesia to protect the tens of thousands of dogs each month from unimaginable cruelty and also to showcase and celebrate Indonesia’s great compassion and its natural and cultural beauty,” said Peter Egan.
With this ban in place, hopefully, similar bans will pass across all of Indonesia. If you’d like to support ending the dog meat trade, consider donating to Humane Society International.
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