Not illegal in Malaysia to eat dog and cat meat

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian laws do not prohibit people from consuming or selling dog and cat meat.

“There are no legal prohibitions that categorically state one cannot trade or consume dog or cat meat,” said Malaysian Animal Welfare Society president Shenaaz Khan.

“This is ludicrous. Basically it is not illegal, but horrifically uncivilized and unacceptable.”

Shenaaz, who is a vegetarian, said it was not acceptable for dogs and cats, which are consider as pets, to be consumed.

“I would liken it (eating dog and cat meat) to cannibalism,” she said. “Don’t we have enough to eat already? We have become so greedy that we’d eat anything at sight.”

The lack of laws surrounding dog and cat consumption was brought to light after Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR) rescued an abused dog from allegedly being slaughtered for consumption at a restaurant in Kampung Melayu, Subang.

The dog was rescue in the early hours of Monday after MIAR received a report that the restaurant cages and tortures dogs before being slaughtering them.

MIAR was informed that the dogs were tortured to make their meat tender for consumption.

The rescued dog is currently being held in MIAR Shelter.

“We found the dog outside at the restaurant’s back lane that was blocked off with high gates,” said MIAR president Puspa Rani.

“It was tied up with no food and water, and was left outside,” she said. “If it rained, the dog would have gotten wet.”

Puspa said the rescued dog looked like a Chow Chow and it could have previously belonged to a family.

“It is very weak. Too weak to even bark,” she said.

Puspa said MIAR would be sending an investigation team to gather more evidence before it lodged a police report.

She said she was shocked to find out the consumption of dog and cat consumption was legal in Malaysia.

“I am very surprised that our laws have not changed after so many years,” she said.