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Activists have long campaigned for an end to the sale of dog meat
The Indian state of Nagaland has banned the import, trade and sale of dog meat, in a move by animal rights activists.
The Northeast state government announced the ban after a sustained campaign by animal welfare groups.
They praised the decision as a “major turning point” to end cruelty to dogs in India.
But some civil society groups criticized the ban, calling it an attack on food customs in the state.
Eating dog meat is illegal in parts of India, but some communities in the northeast areas consider it a delicacy.
“The State Government has decided to ban the commercial import and trade of dogs and dog markets and also the sale of dog meat, both cooked and raw. I appreciate the wise decision made by the State Cabinet,” he tweeted on Friday the Nagaland’s chief secretary, Temjen Toy.
The government did not share further details on how it planned to enforce the ban.
Indian media said the ban came after an image of dogs tied in sacks in a wet marketplace widely circulated on social media, sparking outrage.
- Countries where people still eat cats and dogs
On Thursday, the Federation of India’s Animal Protection Organization (FIAPO) said it was “struck by shock and horror at the recent images” of dogs in “terrifying conditions, tied up in sacks, waiting in a wet market, for its illegal slaughter, trade and consumption as meat. “
The group urged the Nagaland government to enforce an immediate ban on selling dog meat.
FIAPO was among several animal rights organizations, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), to spearhead campaigns against the sale of dog meat in Nagaland.
The Humane Society International (HSI), which has campaigned for years to end India’s dog meat trade, welcomed the decision of the Nagaland government.
“The suffering of dogs in Nagaland has long cast a dark shadow over India, so this news marks a major turning point in ending the cruelty of the hidden dog meat trade in India,” said Alokparna Sengupta. , Managing Director of HSI.
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An estimated 30,000 dogs a year are smuggled into Nagaland, where they are sold in live markets and “beaten to death with wooden sticks,” according to HSI.
Earlier this year, the Mizoram state took the first step to end the sale of dogs, by amending legislation to remove them from the list of animals fit for slaughter.
Although it is not widespread, the consumption of dogs takes place in other countries, such as China, South Korea and Thailand.
