The Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA) is calling for several Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam to stop the trading of dog meat.
Dog meat is a popular dish for many people in some Southeast Asian countries
Some five million dogs are turned into food each year and ACPA is focusing on several hot sources such as Thailand, Cambodia and Laos that smuggle dogs into Vietnam.
Previously, only small households traded in dog meat but it has turned into multi-million dollar industry. More importantly, illegal trade is one of main cause for many diseases such as trichinosis, cholera and rabies.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced recently that dog meat trafficking is the cause for the spread of rabies in Indonesia and cholera in Vietnam.
Lola Webber, leader of the Change for Animals Foundation claimed people seek out dog meat because they think that it can cure some diseases, but more common reasons are that people choose to eat dog as they believe it brings luck.
Tuan Bendixsen, Animals Asia's Vietnam Director said traders will trade unhealthy dogs and in return, disregard all of the Asian ministers of health promises and efforts to prevent rabies in the areas by 2020.
The WHO and World Organisation for Animal Health agreed and said rabies prevention activities would remain ineffective once dog meat trafficking still exists.
ACPA is meeting with governments of Southeast Asian countries in Hanoi this August in order to find the best solution to the problem.
The ACPA was formed in May to tackle illegal dog trading. Other organisations that also joined force with ACPA are Change for Animals Foundation, Humane Society International, Animals Asia and Soi Dog Foundation.
