Dogs & Meat Trade Prohibition Act

According to the Animal Welfare Institute, the Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act of 2017 prohibits slaughtering dogs and cats in the United States for human consumption. The good news is that commercial sales of dog and cat meat are illegal in the United States. However, almost all states (except California, Georgia, Michigan, New York, and

Virginia) prohibit killing dogs and cats for human consumption. It is horrible to know that an individual can kill and eat a dog or cat or sell the meat directly to another person.

There needs to be more federal regulations around this issue. The horrific example that we provide is that in Hawaii, it is legal to slaughter an animal as long as it is bred for human consumption and killed in a humane manner. It is sad to know that many dogs victimized in Hawaii was once beloved family pets stolen. Things like this do not just happen in Hawaii, however. Wisconsin had a “dog butcher,” and a restaurant in Pennsylvania was shut down because they were serving cat meat.

Not only is this horrible activity, but it also poses significant threats to human health. Bacteria such as E. coli and V. cholerae are transferred to humans during the slaughter, handling, and consumption of meat. Furthermore, dogs have parasitic infections, which can cause significant issues with a human’s intestines. Let’s not forget about rabies, which is heavily transmittable through dog meat consumption.

We are thankful that the commercial sales of dog and cat meat are illegal in the United States. However, we believe that more is needed.

More emphasis must be placed on the brutality and public health dangers of dog and cat meat. Not only is this inhumane behavior, but it can also cause many adverse health effects.