On August 22, Activists from the Dog Meat Free Indonesia (DMFI) coalition presented a petition with more than a quarter of a million signatures to the Governor of North Sulawesi, urging him to put an end to the inhumane, violent dog meat industry in the region.
In spite of a directive issued by the Indonesian government in September 2018 banning dog and cat meat, these markets still abound in North Sulawesi, as evidenced by recent video footage collected by DMFI campaigners.
“The Indonesian government has already vowed to end these illegal and dangerous trades, but now it is up to the regional authorities to take action and to prioritize the well-being of the nation and its population rather than the minority who partake in illegal activities,” said Karin Franken, co-founder of Jakarta Animal Aid Network.
Governor Olly Dondokambey does not appear to be taking any action to shut down these shocking “traditional” markets — known as extreme markets — where thousands of cats and dogs are slaughtered every month for their meat.
Video filmed only last week revealed the atrocities that occur at these markets every day; traders beating dogs to death with clubs and blowtorching the animals while they’re still alive — all while dozens of other caged dogs watch in terror, waiting for their turn.
Along with the heartbreaking footage from DMFI came the news that dogs and cats are still being slaughtered in the town of Tomohon in North Sulawesi, in spite of the Mayor pledging to stop the sale of live dogs and cats at these notorious markets earlier this year.
Not only is the rampant dog and cat meat trade in Indonesia gruesome and cruel, but it also poses a significant threat to human health. According to DMFI, around 8-11 % of dogs sold for human consumption in the local markets of Sulawesi are infected with rabies. Not surprisingly, North Sulawesi has one of the highest rates of human deaths from rabies in the country.
“Our investigations have shown North Sulawesi to be dragging its heels on the very real human and animal health and safety risks of the dog and cat meat trades,” said Dr. Katherine Polak, director of FOUR PAWS. “Inherent to the trades are extreme cruelty to animals and illegal activities, including pet theft, plus the very real threat of rabies transmission to tourists and communities. This results in immeasurable damage to the country’s international reputation.”
DMFI is comprised of Change for Animals Foundation, Humane Society International, Animals Asia, FOUR PAWS, Animal Friends Jogja, and Jarkata Animal Aid Network. The coalition continues to campaign for an end to the dangerous and cruel cat and dog meat industry in Indonesia, hoping to save thousands of animals every year from torture.
“Indonesia’s people, and the thousands of dogs suffering the most unimaginable cruelty, deserve much more than empty words,” says Animals Asia Founder Jill Robinson. “Those in power have to act now if we are to prevent innocent people dying of rabies and the unacceptable suffering of dogs and cats on a mass scale.”

I won’t stop until this vile gruesome and repulsive trade is ended once and for all. I ask God everyday why did he put precious animals on this earth only to be tortured and murdered and imprisoned. God would say humans are causing it. I know that so how will it be dealt with and ended as humans in governments are also guilty as they do allow it to go in even though they can see the evil being conducted they still delivered ignore it. There are humans who try desperately to stop it but God knows there are nowhere near enough. 250,000 signatures…is that all from the whole world? That shows most people don’t give a 💩. They ignore the evil. So what is God going to do? Surely God wouldn’t be happy with what humans are doing to animals. Why the hell would he have animals born to be tortured and die. What is the point? If God is love he will do something about this. God can stop this now if he wanted to. Why isn’t he acting?😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩
Subhuman worms not even worthy of being crushed. These monsters have not a shred of compassion or humanity in them. Fucking bastards. Is this what their Islam teaches?
when will this hell end for animals!!!
Toutes ces horreurs à l’encontre des animaux est une offense à la dignité “humaine”. Pourquoi ce peuple est-il aussi abominablement barbare donnant au monde entier et aux touristes, une image effrayante et négative de leur si beau pays dégradé par ces pratiques immondes !
Pls stop cruelty
How much longer does this hideous trade keep going…the world knows this is know longer acceptable in the 21st century…this hideous outdated culture needs change all cultures need change, this is one change that’s long over due…ignorant nations, need educating by today’s standards
We must STOP the dog meat industry, it is sadistic and evil.
I am grateful for all those organizations of animal advocates who are trying to save these poor animals! Thank you! Local officials must obey the law and finally put an end to this cruel, barbaric torture of these helpless animals! Dogs and cats benefit humans in multiple ways with their companionship, not as meat!!!! It is not only bad for these animals, but harmful to humans to be consuming their diseased meat!!!!
Stop eating the cats and dogs !! Have you no shame !! Those that take part in this are a disgrace to the world !! Cats and dogs obey and show us love , they are comforting and even have saved many humans lives !! Respect and love them thats the right thing to do !!
EVIL AND MONSTEROUS ARE THE GOVERNMENT AND MAYORS OF THE TOWNS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ALLOW THIS HORRID NIGHTMARE TO GO ON FOR ALL THESE POOR DOGS AND CATS. YOU PEOPLE DONT GET HOW LOVING AND SWEET AND GIVING DOGS AND CATS ARE. THEY ARE WONDERFUL ANIMALS AND DO NOT DESERVE THIS FATE. DO WHATS RIGHT AND RESCUE THEM AND GET THEM OUT OF THE HELL THEY’RE IN. THE WORLD IS WATCHING YOU.
please stop that killing the beautiful innocent dogs and cats let them adopting them good homes Thanks It makes my heartbreaking..
Indonesia, Asia. May God send another Arche, put all animals and animal-lovers on it, and then flood these areas and remove this scum, these degenerate brains from our earth
Right on. Thank you. I agree 110%.
This brakes my heart, the little basenji on your front page, of ‘Dog Meat-Free Indonesia’, the hauntingly innocent eyes. So sad 💔 How can anyone be so heartless to an animal especially to man’s best friend, I don’t know. ‘Do on to others’ – includes animals or at least it should! Thank you for all the work you’re doing 👏👏🍀
I pray the dog meat industry comes to an end! My donation isn’t a large one but I do hope it has some impact on this God awful practice!!
I am for giving all those idiots a shot that will give them rabies, if that was possible. Other than the children. who cares if those morons got a disease eating the meat. Obviously you can’t tell those nitwits about any danger of there being a chance of catching.something. they don’t care. They only care about torturing those animals before they kill and eat them, and that is some evil people. They are the kind you can’t talk sense into. They are always going to behave like they are in the dark ages. Round them up, throw them all in a gigantic warehouse with any diseased meat they have already killed and let nature take its course. Don’t give them any medical attention. After their food source has run out, give them nothing but wilted vegetables. Keep them there for years and years and let them suffer with whatever happens. That can be their prison. These scums of the earth deserve nothing but pain and torture.
This is such an incredibly sad story and I like many others have signed petition after petition against this animal slaughter. I just don’t buy the bullshit about their religion and beliefs, etc I do very much care about the slaughter of these dogs and cats. This is so barbaric in many ways and not needed – the lives of all of these animals matter greatly and no population of people should be able to just kill them off for their so called meat – Jesus H Christ – this is deplorable in every sense of the word. Humans are the worst abusers on this planet.
I lived and worked in Nth Sulawesi for many years. Often normal families keep dogs in the back yard like some rural people keep chickens. It was heart breaking to hear dogs crying in pain and terror before being finally killed for a meal. My secretary told me one morning that her family had an unexpected visitor the previous day and had killed her new pet puppy for their lunch.
How do you stop this ? With great difficulty since it is considered normal behaviour.
Please please we must stop torturing dogs, cats, wildlife , marine life and more now asap
Will these killers ever stop? I have signed so many petitions I’ve lost count meanwhile this insane “practice” is still going on. You can tell by the look on the dogs faces that they know what is going to happen to them but they have given up all hope.
stoppppppp!
Stop it
Why havent they done something please eake them listen i have sighned every petirion and give monthly to the humane society of theworld and pray every day its terrible what they do
Cruelty needs to end!
I’m sorry but I most sincerely hope and pray that these vile, depraved pieces of human trash that abuse, torture, kill and eat dog/cat meat do ALL catch rabies or other diseases from the animals that they so horrifically and blatantly kill. I hope every single one of these cruel masses suffer a very long, lingering death, writhing and screaming in agony until their dying breath…..just like the animals that they torture to death, boil alive, blow-torch alive, hang alive, smash over the head and even skin alive. I will not feel any sympathy or shed any tears as its no wonder that I prefer all animals to ‘most inhumane humans’
Well said, I agree! 😡
My thoughts exactly when I read the part about humans catching rabies from the animals! Talk about poetic justice…
Lasst die elenden Tiermörder und Tierquäler nicht ungestraft davon kommen! Das sind keine Menschen, sondern Mörder und die sollen in Knast gesteckt werden für immer !!😡😡😡
Something more just HAS to be done and NOW! Obviously those very one that are VOWING to shut such horrible “crimes” down are still turning their heads. If that’s the best they will do then remove them from office and get those in there that will make sure all regions put an end to this. If someone is then caught clubbing, burning, mutilating, boiling live animals to death…….then do the VERY same to them! They deserve no better and that’ll put a stop to it! And those who are buying or consuming the meat of these animals or using the fur or kidnapping and selling to the “meat atrocities” go to jail for a long, long time! If something just as mean and terrible as these idiots are doing isn’t returned in the same matter, a smack on the hand and/or ignoring it won’t work. Gotta get just as downright mean, hateful, and what have you and put a stop to this. The animals lives depend on it and on us! ANIMAL LIVES MATTER ALL THE TIME ALWAYS!
COMMENT SVP LE GOUVERNEMENT Indonésien pouvez-vous faire arrêter la souffrance pour ses milliers de chiens qui souffrent de la cruauté la plus inimaginable méritent bien plus que des paroles creuses»,.Les personnes au pouvoir doivent agir maintenant !!!! Il faut épargner et empêcher que des chiens et chat innocents meurent de la rage et des souffrances inacceptables subies par les chiens et les chats à grande échelle ! Agissez SVP je vous en conjure !
Merci ne ne pas laisser mon appel sans suite car je souffre de connaitre cette situation et indigne d’un pays comme le votre !
If it is not stopped this cruelty of torturing dogs and cats for food,then it serves them right for eating the animals as the animals are tortured to death and the ones who eat it must know.so if they get rabies I care not, maybe its like the plague,keep torturing the animals to death and you will all die,except the ones who care about saving these innocent dogs and cats, God caused plagues in ancient times to free his people so maybe to free these animals of God’s stop eating them.
COMMENTTHIS CRUELTY
Me parece que esto tiene que terminar para siempre!
250,000 signatures and a government that vows to stop this barbaric dog meat trade cruelty. BUT it still goes on! What does it take to stop it????
250,00 signatures and a government vowing to stop the awful dogmeat trade and yet its still happening!What does it take to stop it???
Eating dog’s & cat’s is horrific, they are not food for human’s!
Stop this barbaric practice !!