The world has had its justifiable share of meat scandals from horse to cat, and now Jakarta’s latest dog meat ban is the most recent debate dividing animal rights activists and lovers of the dishes.
Alfindo Hutagaol is sat in an empty stall within the Indonesian capital, eating some rice, green sambal and grilled dog meat – a meal that’s now banned.
The capital was certainly one of a handful of nations that also permitted the sale of dog and cat meats.
But, this week, Jakarta’s authorities announced a ban on trade for the consumption of rabies-transmitting animals, including cats, dogs, bats, monkeys and civets.
While animal rights groups have a good time the ban, locals like Alfindo aren’t supportive.
Alfindo said: ‘God created it to be eaten. Don’t only search for the negative side, but additionally search for its advantages too.’
He also argued that dog meat fans is perhaps forced to prey on stray dogs to fulfil their tastes.
Although dog meat is just not widely consumed in Indonesia, it is taken into account a natural treatment for dengue fever.
One other dog meat eater, Sunggul Sagala, said the trade ‘can’t be eliminated suddenly’ as a consequence of some traditions.
A 2018 directive issued by the agriculture ministry stated that dog meat is just not categorised as food.
Merry Ferdinandez of the Dog Meat Free Indonesia (DMFI) coalition that lobbied for the ban said: ‘It is a real example and real commitment from the Jakarta government as a world city that also advances animal welfare.’
The move doesn’t extend to other Indonesian regions where consumption stays popular, but she hopes it would in the long run.
A DMFI poll in 2021 found that 93% of Indonesians rejected the dog meat trade and wanted it banned.
Nevertheless, a study by the group the next yr found that 9,500 dogs were brought into Jakarta for consumption that yr.
Most of those dogs were wild animals caught on the streets from West Java, where rabies is common.
Jakarta is certainly one of 11 Indonesian provinces which can be rabies-free.
(Picture: Bay Ismoyo/AFP via Getty Images)
This latest ban was ‘certainly one of the efforts’ to keep up this status that the town has held since 2004, said the capital’s food resiliency, maritime and agriculture agency head Hasudungan Sidabalok.
Sidabalok said that even though it is not any longer common to see dog meat sold openly at markets or restaurants, there are 19 restaurants that also serve the dish.
There are also at the least two slaughterhouses operating in the realm, in accordance with Sidabalok.
He said: ‘It’s not a straightforward step since it is a habit or perhaps a culture for certain communities, which we hope can change.
‘The act of slaughtering or consuming dog meat… remains to be dangerous as it could possibly transmit rabies to the slaughterers or consumers.’
Those that are still selling dog meat after the ban’s six-month grace period will face sanctions starting from written warnings to revocation of business licenses.
Even before this ban was put in place, the trade was effectively underground in Jakarta, with no open advertisements of dog meat dishes.
Sunggul said this has made the price of dog meat dearer than beef and ‘purchasing dog meat is like on the lookout for drugs.’
Other regions have already imposed their very own bans, including the Central Javan city of Semarang which banned the trade in 2022.
Last yr authorities in the town arrested five people after intercepting a truck carrying greater than 200 dogs heading to a slaughterhouse.
Jakarta authorities haven’t announced how they’ll take care of animals that will not have buyers.
The same ban in South Korea has caused problems for traders left with the animals that may not be sold and aren’t easy to rehome.
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