Thread: Stars Back Petition To Outlaw Dog Meat Trade

Bangkok Post
November 2, 2014
Writer: Nanchanok Wongsamuth

An online campaign backed by some off Hollywood and television's biggest stars is calling on the government to outlaw the trade in dog meat and has drawn more than half a million signatures.

A four-minute video produced by the Soi Dog Foundation, the largest non-profit organisation dealing with stray dogs and cats throughout Southeast Asia, features big-name stars such as Dame Judi Dench, Ricky Gervais and actors from the British television series Downton Abbey.

"One of the stars, [Downton Abbey's] Peter Egan, is a supporter and he invited the others to take part," said Soi Dog co-founder and vice-president John Dalley, the man behind the campaign.

The video shows dogs being thrown into cages before being transported on a large truck. Many of these dogs have been rescued and sent to shelters in northeast Thailand. "I didn't know that Thailand held such a dark and tragic secret," actress Penelope Wilton said. "I didn't know that these desperate dogs are killed illegally for their meat, that they are killed in torturous ways, that quite often their fur is removed while they're still conscious."

The online petition to help shut down the dog meat trade in Thailand gained more than 560,000 signatures in the first week and has a target of 750,000. Smugglers collect and steal dogs across the country and transport them to central holding facilities in northern Thailand. An increasing number of the stolen dogs are pets. But despite numerous arrests and publicity, the trade in dogs for meat and skin continues.

The petition, which asks the government to stop the trade and arrest those behind it, will be handed to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. It also asks the government to stop the open sale of dog meat at shops and restaurants in Thailand, as well as to ban the export of dog skin and the manufacture and export of dog skin products.

The National Legislative Assembly is deliberating an animal welfare bill that seeks to criminalize those who harm their pets. It could be the country's first law to punish people who neglect, torture or fail to adequately take care of animals, with a penalty of a jail term of up to two years and/or a fine of no more than 40,000 baht.

"It is a start, but in its current form is far too open to interpretation, and will be difficult for police to enforce," Mr Dalley said. "For example, under US law a mahout may need to use a stick to prod an elephant to walk, but to use a hammer that breaks the skin would be cruelty."

An additional 20 items to be banned under the bill were put forward by the Thai Animal Guardians Association, and includes having sex with animals and putting natural enemies near each other.

Stars back petition to outlaw dog meat trade | Bangkok Post: news

I have never heard of any of the "big stars", I suppose they are all vegans and don't eat any animal products at all . I personally would not knowingly eat dog , much prefer beef,pork etc but to each his own, and cattle pigs and sheep are also mistreated , especialy, excluding filthy pork in the lands of the religion of peace.