UK MPs Call for Ban on Human Consumption of Dog Meat Following USA Ban

The drawing of WDA of Sully, the loyal service dog of former US President George HW Bush, to celebrate the passing of legal ban of dog meat consumption

World Dog Alliance (WDA), which aims to push forward legislation in 100 countries consecutively, is happy to announce that the U.S. House of Representatives' vote through legislation in the Farm Bill, which outlaws the human consumption of dog and cat meat in America, has prompted cross-party support in the U.K. from Members of Parliament who also want to see the practice banned in the U.K. 

The U.K. government has stated previously that it would look closely at the decision taken in the U.S. Now that the U.S. legislation has passed, the World Dog Alliance is urging the government to make sure the U.K. remains a world leader in animal welfare by introducing a U.K. ban. 

The amendment to the U.S. Farm Bill states that: "No person may knowingly slaughter a dog or cat for human consumption."

⏩ Those who violate the law will be subject to a fine of up to $5,000. 

U.S. President Donald Trump will host the signing ceremony of the Farm Bill at the White House within 10 days following the passage of the bill. 

The passing of the U.S. Farm Bill highlights the country's commitment to outlawing the practice globally and cements the USA as a global champion of animal welfare.

"The mission of the World Dog Alliance has always been to not only legally ban the consumption of dog meat, but to also change attitudes and help save canine lives."- Genlin, the founder of World Dog Alliance

The legislation signifies success for international charity World Dog Alliance, which has been driving the campaign to outlaw the practice globally. 

There is no law against the consumption of dog meat in the U.K. While there have been no cases of dog meat consumption in the U.K., the WDA is calling for legislative change that will close the legal loophole and join the USA in outlawing the horrific practice. The WDA believes that outlawing the practice in the U.K. will help with their campaign to ban the practice in countries where it takes place. 

The legal ban of dog meat consumption enables the U.S. to acquire the leading position of the U.S. in fighting for animal welfare and defending morality. This sets the direction of human progress and lays one pivotal milestone of animal protection.

Dog meat ban: MPs call for UK to follow the US in outlawing the practice (Via BBC)

Extract from The Bang of the Gavel:

US legislation of banning dog meat consumption will influence 100 countries

World Dog Alliance was established in 2014, aiming at bring legislation of banning dog meat consumption into reality, creating a trend of such ban in the globe and changing the destiny of 30 million dogs which are to consumed as food per year. After the passage of a legal ban on dog meat consumption, WDA will further its persuasion on the Committee on Foreign Affairs to echo with the bill of H. Res. 401 of ‘urging all nations to outlaw the dog and cat meat trade and to enforce existing laws against such trade’. In the meantime, WDA is initiating movements to ban dog meat consumption in the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and China. 

The United Kingdom

In the UK, it is legal to consume dog meat if one kills that dog in a humane way. Such loophole in the UK, a country which is relatively advanced when it comes to the protection of animal welfare, is shocking and unbelievable. While watching closely over the progress of legislation in the US, WDA announced to the media in the United Kingdom that it would promote the legislation of banning dog meat consumption on 6th August, sparking coverage and heated discussion from different media like The Sun and Daily Mail. Such gesture inspired members of parliament to defend Britain’s leading status in animal protection and stimulated waves of opinions to legislate on this issue. Even the Prime Minister Theresa May herself also made a statement, indicating that the UK would soon begin the legislation process after the US in a bid to provide comprehensive protection to British people’s favorite companion. The movement in Britain aims at blocking legal loopholes. WDA hosted an event for parliament members with over 20 parliament members attending. It is expected an independent bill will be proposed in January, 2019.

France

There are also loopholes regarding consuming dog meat in France. France only limits illegal slaughtering so it is not illegal to eat dog in France. In 1870, there were shops selling specifically dog meat in France and there are also alleged cases of eating dog meat nowadays. The habit of consuming dog meat still exists in French Polynesia. Every year on the French National Day, people in Tahiti will kill and eat dogs for celebration. WDA will meet with the vice president of the Groupe d'études condition animale, Typhanie Degois, in January 2019 to promote the amendment of the legislation to add banning of dog meat consumption.

Japan

Little do people know that Japan is a country where it is legal to eat dog meat. There are more than 100 restaurants, supermarkets and frozen meat merchants selling dog meat in Japan. The official records of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries have data on imported dog meat for the past 15 years. The World Dog Alliance first grasped the information on imported Japanese dog meat, and then went to Nishikawakuchi, Ikebukuro, Saitama, Japan to record the supply of dog meat in restaurants and stores, and sent it to Senator Oshima Kyushu as evidence for the debate in the parliament. It is expected that with the joint effort of parliament members and animal protection groups, the legislative process of banning dog meat consumption in Japan can be completed before 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Vietnam

90% of Vietnamese love to eat dog meat, and even think that it is necessary to abuse the dog to death to make the meat tastier. The prevalent views asking for a legal ban in the US and UK, as well as their criticism against such poor behaviour, led to a potential proposal of banning the consumption of dog meat in Hanoi by the municipal government. The World Dog Alliance will meet with the Director of the Hanoi Municipal Government and Veterinary Bureau in March 2019, hoping to implement law on full ban of dog meat consumption in Hanoi in 2021.

South Korea

60% of South Koreans consume dog meat, and there are more than 2,000 dog farms in the country, slaughtering 5 million dogs a year. Although young people in South Korea loathe eating dog meat, there is still no legal ban on treating dogs as food. Fortunately, under the unremitting efforts of the World Dog Alliance and the local animal protection group CARE, South Korea’s first in ever case of a dog farm farmer was sentenced for killing a dog. The Bucheon City Court ruled that "meat consumption is not a legitimate reason to kill a dog", indicating that dogs are no longer considered as economic animals for slaughtering. The Watchdog Plan which WDA and CARE carry out together continues to rectify illegal farm in different cities. WDA also proactively work with the Korean Cangyuan to promote amending regulations to prevent eating dog in law.

China

There is only 20% of the Chinese population which treats dogs as food and they mostly live in second- and third-tier cities. There are no shops selling dog meat in civilized cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen. Therefore, the World Dog Alliance recommends to push forward legislation against eating dog meat in Shanghai in 2019 as an example to the entire country. At the same time, WDA also publishes a white paper on increasing the punishment of stealing dogs in a hope to put an end to the black industry chain of dog meat.

Along with the success of legislation in the US, the World Dog Alliance has now planned a development blue print covering 100 countries including the UK, France, Commonwealth of Nations, the European Union, the Scandinavia, and the French overseas provinces. The founder of WDA, Genlin, states that: “the mission of World Dog Alliance has proceeded to the second stage from simply banning dog meat consumption legally to changing human society and saving canine lives. If the humankind wants to create an ecological world in which we can peacefully live all animals, we have to start with respecting the right of living of o companion animal and escalating such respect to a common norm. There should be no exception!”

For the Yulin dog meat festival, some dogs are stolen from their owners and beaten or bled to death. Then they’re hung upside down from hooks, a slit cut from their anus and skin ripped off their bodies, and sold to be eaten (Via LoupDargent.info)

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SOURCE: World Dog Alliance