Jakarta Bans Trade of Animals That Carry Rabies, Including Cats and Dogs
Jakarta, Indonesia – In a landmark decision hailed by animal welfare advocates, Jakarta’s authorities this week announced a ban on the trade and consumption of animals known to transmit rabies, including cats and dogs. the prohibition, which comes with a six-month grace period for implementation, extends to othre rabies-carrying animals like bats, monkeys, and civets.
While dog and cat meat are not widely eaten across Indonesia,the practice persists in some communities,with some believing canine meat offers a traditional remedy for dengue fever. Despite this, a 2021 poll commissioned by the Dog Meat Free Indonesia (DMFI) coalition revealed overwhelming public opposition to the trade, with 93% of Indonesians supporting a nationwide ban.
“This is a real example and real commitment from the Jakarta government as a global city that also advances animal welfare,” stated Merry Ferdinandez of DMFI, the coalition that spearheaded the lobbying efforts for the ban.While the regulation currently applies only to the capital city, Ferdinandez hopes it will ”encourage” similar action in other regions of Indonesia.
Despite the limited overall consumption, a DMFI study in 2022 estimated that approximately 9,500 dogs – the majority captured from the streets – were brought into Jakarta for consumption, primarily originating from West Java, a region where rabies remains endemic. nationwide data on dog and cat meat consumption remains unavailable.
The ban is also a crucial step in maintaining Jakarta’s rabies-free status, officially declared in 2004. Jakarta is one of only eleven provinces in Indonesia to have achieved this status. “This is one of the efforts to maintain that,” explained Hasudungan Sidabalok,head of the capital’s food resiliency,maritime and agriculture agency.
Sidabalok acknowledged that while open sales of dog meat are becoming less common, 19 restaurants and at least two slaughterhouses currently operate within the city, and expressed optimism that the new regulation will considerably reduce these practices.
keywords: Jakarta, Indonesia, dog meat ban, cat meat ban, rabies, animal welfare, animal rights, DMFI, Dog Meat Free Indonesia, dengue fever, public health, animal trade.
