WARNING: This page contains graphic content showing the treatment of dogs and cats used for their meat. Viewer discretion is advised.

The horrendous dog and cat meat trade

The cruel dog and cat meat trade: Millions of animals eaten each year

Many millions of dogs and cats are consumed as “health food” every year in Asian countries like South Korea, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia as well as in African countries such as Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria. There are also special festivals where dog and cat meat is being consumed, for instance the Yulin festival in June, when around 10,000 dogs and 4,000 cats are tortured, killed and eaten. It is estimated that in Asia alone, 30 million dogs and 4 million cats are eaten each year by humans. The lives and deaths of these dogs and cats is utterly cruel.

Dogs raised for meat suffer a lifetime of cruelty in cages

From birth to slaughter, the dogs raised for food often spend their lives crammed in tiny metal cages with no space to move, with no protection from extreme weather and no water, exercise, or medical care. Their eardrums are often burst to prevent them from barking, or their muzzles are tied. In South Korea dogs are often bred at specific dog farms, as described above. Stray dogs are also captured or pet dogs are snatched or sold for the needs of the dog meat trade.

Inaccurate beliefs about health benefits keep the dog and cat meat trade alive

In many countries there’s a widespread belief that dog and cat meat is beneficial for the health. In some countries dog meat is e.g. believed to increase stamina on hot days. During the coronavirus pandemic starting in 2020, the sales of dog and cat meat rose, because people believe it has “warming” properties that head off flu viruses.

Dogs and cats transported for days in brutal conditions before slaughter

The dogs and cats are often transported for days – sometimes weeks -  crammed in tiny cages before they reach their final destination, where they are sold for food and slaughtered. Many of the animals are sick, wounded or dying, and get very little or no food and water. Many of the animals are still wearing collars.

The dogs and cats are deliberately made to suffer as much as possible

It is believed that the more the dogs and cats suffer, the better the meat will taste and the greater the health benefits will be. The animals are therefore made to experience extreme fear and suffering prior to death.  The dogs are often butchered in full view of the others, and the method of slaughter is extremely brutal – they are electrocuted, hanged, beaten to death or burnt or skinned alive. Some have a blow torch used on them while they are still alive to remove their fur.  The cats are often boiled alive.

Cats are stolen and cruelly slaughtered in the cat meat trade

There seem to be no farms where cats are bred specifically for the meat trade. Instead, cats are often stolen from outside loving homes and the streets before being transported in terrible conditions and slaughtered in view of one another using  brutal methods. Usually the cats are repeatedly bludgeoned and thrown in boiling hot water. In Vietnam alone,  a million cats are slaughtered yearly for human consumption. Black cats are particularly targeted for their apparent ­medicinal value.

Laws against the dog and cat meat trade are weak or poorly enforced

The dog and cat meat trade in these countries is either not banned, or the existing legislation is not being sufficiently enforced, like the Philippines where dog meat consumption was banned in 1998. In 2024, South Korea passed a law that makes the slaughter and sale of dogs for their meat illegal, set to come into force by 2027. Under the new law the consumption of dog meat itself will not be illegal.

The dog and cat meat trade poses serious health risks to humans

Apart from causing the animals extreme suffering, the trade is also a risk to humans by making it possible for rabies and other diseases to be transmitted to humans. In Bali tourists can unknowingly be eating dog meat when purchasing food from street vendors, believing it to be “chicken satay”.

The cruel dog meat and fur trade in China - Animal Equity investigation

Cat and dog meat trade, message from the investigator, Animal Equity

A day in the life of a dog meat dog

More information:

https://www.animalsasia.org/key-issues/cat-and-dog-meat-trade/
https://www.soidog.org/ending-dog-and-cat-meat-trade
https://koreandogs.org/
https://notodogmeat.com/