In Africa, as well as in some Asian countries, the consumption of dog and cat meat is still practiced. OIPA’s member league Coalition for Cruelty Free Africa (CFCFA), in collaboration with international animal protection groups, has launched a new campaign to calling for a ban of Dog and Cat Meat Trade and Animal Sacrifices that take place everyday in countries such as China, Africa especially in Togo, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Zambia, Tanzania, Congo, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, and Southeast Asia.
CFCFA launched a new billboard campaign across African countries, a series of billboards mostly in Ghana, but also in Nigeria, Congo, and Benin. The targets were both the authorities and the general public, to make them understand that these animals are not food, but loyal companion animals.
Another action taken by the association was to write to the African Union Leadership, to implement and advocate for the following measures:
- Enact a comprehensive ban on the dog and cat meat trade and
- Prohibit live animal markets
- Abolish animal sacrifices
- Strengthen and enforce animal protection laws across member states.
- Combat animal trafficking networks through coordinated law enforcement efforts.
- Allocate funding for vaccination, neutering, and release programs for humane population management of stray dogs and cats.
- Support veterinary training and establish facilities to improve animal health and protection
- Provide financial support for genuine animal rescue initiatives within Africa.
- Incorporate educational programs in schools to foster compassion and responsible animal care.
The Dog Cat Meat Trade and the Live Animal Markets are valued at $23 billion dollars. This is a trade that has caused millions of deaths to animals and humans, and yet continues worldwide.
Live Animal Markets put people and living animals they keep for consumption (including dogs and cats) in close and constant contact. With cramped heat and no refrigeration, this harbours a perfect environment for zoonotic diseases to jump from animal to human.
CFCFA says that the criminal dog and cat meat traders are responsible for this global plague, and while the world is going into self-isolation, these sickening trades are being allowed to continue to torture animals and create new viruses.
For this reason, the broader aim of the campaign is to encourage people to adopt a vegan diet, free from any kind of animal exploitation, which causes harm to all living beings.
