Upcoming event: the dog and cat meat trade in Indonesia

2 Mar 2020
On the 3rd of March, Klaus Buchner MEP, Tilly Metz MEP and Eleonora Evi MEP will host an event in the Parliament on the dog and cat trade in Indonesia.

Over one million dogs and cats are slaughtered each year in Indonesia to meet the local demand for the animal's meat even though only an estimated 7 per cent of the Indonesian population consumes dog or cat meat. The event, co-organised by AFMI, Förderverein, Action Project Animal, and Fondazione Elisabetta Franchi, will look at the current situation and discuss potential solutions to end this trade.

As this trade is mainly clandestine and thus unregulated, the animals killed for consumption are often stolen household pets. The transport, handling and slaughter of these dogs or cats causes immense animal suffering. Once captured, they are put into cages or sacks and their mouths are bound shut. They then endure long journeys where many die from suffocation, dehydration or heatstroke. Finally, they are slaughtered without stunning and in  unhygienic circumstances in front of their cage-mates. 

Besides animal welfare concerns, this trade represents a serious public health risk, with the risk of spreading zoonotic disease. The link between the dog meat trade and the spread of rabies has been well-established and documented throughout Asia. While the Indonesian law forbids to transport animals of an unknown vaccination status into areas that have been declared rabies-free, the illegal dog meat trade does not comply with this legal obligation. The dog meat trade implies on the contrary the uncontrolled movement of large numbers of dogs of unknown disease and vaccination status, transported long distances and often illegally crossing between provinces in clear breach of Indonesia’s anti-rabies legislation.

 

Programme: 

  • Opening: Prof. Dr. Klaus Buchner MEP, Tilly Metz MEP and Eleonora Evi MEP

  • Introduction and Presentation: "Animal welfare and public health" – Sebastian Margenfeld, Förderverein Animal Hope and Wellness e.V.

  • Presentation:  "Illegality and rising pet ownership in Indonesia"- Davide Acito, Action Project Animal

  • Presentation: "A local Indonesian activist who has been fighting the dog, cat and wildlife trade for a decade" - Anne Parengkuan, Animal Friends Manado Indonesia

  • Discussion

  • Closure by Stefan B. Eck (former MEP)