Oh. Oh no.
The ABC‘s 7:30 program, in conjunction with an undercover Animals Australia investigator, has found evidence that tourists in Bali are regularly being sold dog meat without their knowledge.
Thousands of dogs, including pets, are captured and killed for human consumption in Bali every year.
While eating dog meat is legal in Bali, many of the dogs are killed inhumanely or poisoned, and cruelly killing animals and selling contaminated meat is against the law.
Animals Australia campaign director Lyn White told the ABC:
“The dog-meat trade breaches animal cruelty laws and food safety laws. That is a statement of fact.”
The investigation into the dog-meat trade in Bali was carried out by a man the ABC has called “Luke“, who over a period of four months infiltrated the industry. He was allowed to film many of the cruellest practices, including dogs being shot, poisoned with cyanide, bludgeoned to death, hung upside down, and left tied up with their mouths taped shut for days.
Disturbingly, the meat from these dogs is often ending up in tourist meals. 7:30 records the following exchanges near a beach in Seminyak:
AA investigator: “What is that you’re selling?”Vendor: “Dog satay.”AA investigator: “This is why you have a picture of a dog here?”Vendor: “Yeah, yeah.”
When tourists approach the same vendor, though:
Vendor: “Satay just $1.”Australian: “Mystery bag. What is, chicken?”Vendor: “Satay.”Australian: “Satay chicken, not dog?”Vendor: “No, not dog.”Australian: “I’m happy just as long as it’s not dog.”
White also told the reporters:
“Tourists will walk down a street, they’ll see a street store selling satay but what they are not realising is the letters RW on the store mean it is dog meat being served.“They’re just sitting down ordering satay having no idea that they’re eating dog.”
As Animals Australia says on its website, this means that if you are eating meat in Bali, you’re essentially always at risk of eating dog meat. Thanks to the poison sometimes used to kill the dogs, you could also be at risk of illness or even death.
You can read the full report here, but be warned: it’s extremely graphic, and it contains disturbing footage.
Hug your puppies close tonight.
Source: ABC.
Image: Animals Australia.
