Dogs wrapped in bags with their mouths tied with a rope has caused online outrage in India. The dogs are transported to Nagaland where they will be killed for food.
“This is unfortunately a very common thing across Nagaland despite the fact that killing dogs for meat or otherwise is illegal,” Meet Ashar from Peta India shared with The Animal Reader.
In the north-eastern state of India which is home to diverse indigenous tribes, with festivals and markets celebrating different cultures, dog meat is considered a delicacy.
With international outrage over the Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China and the consumption of dog meat in South Korea and other countries, animal rights activists in India have been raising their voice to ban this inhumane and abusive practice.
People for Animals, an animal welfare organization founded by animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi, stated that it is illegal to kill or sell dogs in India. Such activities cannot be “allowed under the guise of culture”.
In a post on Facebook, they say: “Nagaland has eaten all its dogs and now they are being brought in from other states from as far away as West Bengal and Assam.”
“Trucks full of dogs are being taken to Nagaland at night, crossing the border illegally. The dogs mouths are tied with rope so that they cannot bark. Many die due to suffocation on the way,” they continue.
Gandhi requested her followers to become bearers of change by simply writing an email to the chief secretary of Nagaland Mr. Temjan Toy and ask for the police to stop the trading of dogs in Nagaland.
She said that the police should stop the dogs from coming in and the smugglers must be caught. Killing dogs is illegal in India, it’s a violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, but in Nagaland, officials are not enforcing this.
“There is reluctance from local police stations because it is an issue of tradition and culture. In the past, law and order problems have been caused by this, so the police is not very keen on taking action,” Ashar says.
On Friday, Nagaland Animal Welfare Society is meeting with the Chief Secretary of Nagaland where he will present a plan on how he plans to solve this issue.
Indian sports personalities and athletes Yuzvendra Chahal, Sangram Singh and Shikhar Dhawan have also spoken out on the dog meat trade in Nagaland.
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Animal crulity perons should be hunted