Taiwan Has Finally Banned Eating Dog And Cat Meat

Progress has been made in Taiwan to curb the dog meat trade that lives across Asia, thanks to a new amendment in the country’s animal protection laws.

Prior to this amendment, the slaughter and sale of dog and cat meat was prohibited by the Animal Protection Act, but not its actual consumption. Therefore, to rectify this, the new amendment has made eating dog or cat meat illegal and punishable by law. Those who break this rule will be fined between $1,640 and $8,200.

The new amendment also covered another issue, banning the act of pulling a pet on a leash using motored vehicles such as motorcycles and cars. In conjunction, it raised the fine for animal cruelty to up to $65,500 and doubled the maximum prison term to two years.

These changes are due in part to animal rights activists and animal lovers in response to the shocking number of cases of animal abuse last year. With any luck, the new laws will send a message to other counties that continue to consume dog meat and have a booming trade in this business, such as China, South Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Many animal rights activists in Asia are set on pushing for new laws like this in their own countries and seek to help the public to recognize the criminality of the dog and cat meat trade while also raising awareness of the benefits these animals can bring to a society.

In any case, this is a step forward for Taiwan and Asia, and hopefully, these laws will be passed in other countries, too. Do like and share the good news!