Our fight against the dog and cat meat trade (DCMT) began with the successful shutting down in 2014 of the large-scale trade of dogs across the borders of northern Thailand into neighbouring countries, and our commitment to ending this barbaric practice throughout Asia remains as staunch today as it did when we set out.
With the amazing help from Soi Dog supporters around the world we continue to work to bring an end to it in other countries where it is prevalent.
About the trade in Asia
There are a number of places in Asia - particularly China, Viet Nam and Philippines - where dogs are eaten as food. In Viet Nam, cat meat is also consumed. Unlike other types of meat industries, this trade is rarely regulated. This has resulted in animal abuse at the hands of organised criminal groups.
At the height of the illegal cross-border trade in Northeast Thailand, after the turn of the millennium, these groups were taking dogs off the street or stealing pets out of people’s gardens and jamming them into filthy cages for transport through Laos and into Viet Nam. The dogs were neither fed nor watered, with the result that many perished en route. Those that survived invariably met unavoidable deaths.
Soi Dog took it upon itself to put an end to this cruel trade out of Thailand. Working with the Thai government, police and border officials – and with heroic private citizens willing to go up against the gangs – by 2014, Soi Dog was able to make the trade unprofitable. Truckloads of dogs were seized, and thousands were rescued.
Alongside the achievement of ending the trade out of Thailand over a decade ago, there have been positive moves in other parts of Asia towards ending the trade forever.
In January 2024, the South Korean government passed a law banning the sale and production of dog meat. The law will be enforced in 2027 following a three-year grace period. Violators of the law could face up to three years in prison, or a maximum fine of 30 million won.
Taiwan banned the trade in 2017, and it is illegal in Singapore.
In the Philippines, although made illegal in 1998 and reinforced in their Anti-rabies Act of 2007, the trade still exists in an underground format.
Regional bans have been implemented in parts of China, Indonesia and Cambodia in recent years, but this is not enough.
Today, Soi Dog Foundation is working in the Philippines and in Viet Nam to help end this barbaric practice forever.
The history
The trade was banned indirectly in 1998 as part of the Animal welfare Act that was passed that year prohibiting cruelty, maltreatment, neglect and the killing of animals in general except those that were identified and enumerated as ‘food’ animals. Under the guidelines of the act, the dog meat trade can be considered cruel, and therefore part of the prohibited acts.
The 2007 Anti-rabies Act was more specific in its wording, though, and incorporated the provision that "the local government units shall prohibit the trade of dogs for meat" and its implementing rules mention the penalty and defines the penalty to “Any person found guilty of trading dog for meat shall be fined not less than five thousand (5,000) Philippine pesos ($90 USD) per dog and subjected to imprisonment for between one and four years. However, an upper estimate of 200,000 dogs still fall victim to an underground and illegal trade that still exists mainly in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao regions.
In June 2022, we joined forces with Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), the largest animal welfare group in the Philippines fighting the trade. We are working together to carry out raids and interceptions on illegal dog meat traders, and to lobby national authorities to properly enforce the law that already prohibits this awful practice. In September 2022, we launched a giant billboard campaign in the city of Cabanatuan, Central Luzon, with plans to roll out across the country.
Our current work
- Since July 2022, Soi Dog Foundation and Animal Kingdom Foundation have combined forces to end the illegal trade. Our joint work focuses on surveillance of suspected traders, raids on premises and rescue of dogs, and legal action against offenders in collaboration with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the local police
- Dozens of rescued dogs have since been adopted locally by our partner AKF
- Our joint organic awareness campaign against the trade at local level has led to a considerable decrease in the number of establishments of DCMT
- The campaign enabled the local communities and youth to report DCMT activity in their areas
- The focus now is on weeding out remaining small/hidden DCMT establishments, strengthening of local governance units for stricter implementation of laws, training and capacity building of police officers and surveys of DCMT offenders to track their current livelihoods
The history
In Vietnam, where approximately five million dogs and one million cats are slaughtered each year for human consumption. Soi Dog has partnered with the national departments and state agencies including Vietnam Television, the national television broadcaster, to raise public awareness of the dog and cat meat industry and the human health risks it poses.
There have been ongoing efforts to address the issue of dog and cat meat consumption, particularly in urban areas. While initial plans faced challenges due to contextual changes and the global pandemic, the momentum for change continues.
Recent years have seen increased collaboration between animal welfare organisations and various state agencies in Viet Nam. These efforts have included public awareness campaigns, featuring educational content and propaganda messages to highlight concerns surrounding the trade. Currently, there is a renewed focus on working with local and national authorities to develop effective strategies. The approach now emphasises public health considerations, particularly the risk of rabies transmission. This aligns with Viet Nam's goal 'Zero by 30' initiative, which aims to eliminate rabies in the country by 2030.
State agencies are showing proactivity in coordinating efforts to build a comprehensive strategy that addresses both animal welfare and public health concerns. The path to achieving these goals may evolve, but the commitment remains strong.
Our current work
- As a result of the recommendations made in the National Assembly roundtable discussion organised on 4 July 2023 in Ha Noi, a directive including rabies and DCMT in its mandate was issued on implementing activities for prevention and control of rabies, and towards eliminating the dog and cat meat trade.
- The Directive is a solid legal document calling for an end to DCMT thereby providing a firm foundation to base the demand of complete elimination of DCMT from Viet Nam
- Training of Trainers (ToT) for Traditional Medicine Practitioners on 28 September 2023, followed by two more such workshops in different areas, aimed at changing attitudes and practices relating to DCMT and promoting rabies prevention methods among practitioners and their patients
- Our campaign ‘Friends Not Food’ is active in 500 prominent cafes and restaurants in Ha Noi
- A talk show on the topic of zoonotic diseases and DCMT was telecast at primetime on Viet Nam National Assembly Television, the official mouthpiece of National Assembly in Viet Nam, with a viewership of more than 3.5 million people. The 45-minute show discussed the various aspects of rabies and its relationship with DCMT
Soi Dog is working with 16 secondary schools in Ha Noi to adopt and collaborate on the organising of Rabies and DCMT awareness, integrating this information into the curriculum and extracurricular activities. This programme focuses on educating students about rabies prevention methods and responsible pet ownership
Currently, Soi Dog is working on strengthening its collaboration with the various departments and State agencies to develop and implement a roadmap heading towards the elimination of DCMT in Viet Nam. Please keep visiting this space for exciting updates.