Indonesian Authorities Intercept Truck Carrying Over 200 Dogs Destined For Slaughter

7-1-2024 (JAKARTA) Indonesian authorities intercepted a truck carrying more than 200 dogs destined for slaughter. The incident occurred in Semarang city on Java Island late Saturday night, where the distressed dogs were discovered bound in the vehicle’s bed, their legs and mouths secured. Five members of the truck crew were subsequently arrested, potentially facing up to five years in prison under animal welfare regulations.

Local police chief Irwan Anwar disclosed, “We’ve been aware of this information for the past month, and tonight, we managed to thwart the transport of 226 dogs.” Indonesia, one of the few countries permitting the sale of dog and cat meat, has faced growing opposition to this practice. Some cities, including Semarang, have implemented local bans.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the intercepted dogs were en route to Surakarta, where they would have been slaughtered for meat consumption in western Java. Animal welfare activists had reported the dog meat trade to the police in December, leading to the successful interception.

Christian Yosua Pale, representing Animals Hope Shelter Indonesia and advocating for a nationwide ban on dog and cat meat, expressed concern, stating, “Dogs, along with cats, are not livestock and must not be bred for human consumption.” Last year, pressure from activists resulted in the cessation of dog and cat meat sales in a notorious Indonesian animal market in Sulawesi.