24 Dogs Saved From Indonesia’s Brutal Dog Meat Trade Begin Their New Life In The U.S.

Twenty four dogs have been rescued from a slaughterhouse at Indonesia’s Tomohon “Extreme” Market in North Sulawesi province and flown from Indonesia to the United States in search of loving forever homes. Poppy, Romeo, Wendy, Mia, Rocky and friends were saved by animal charities Humane Society International (HSI) and Animal Friends Manado Indonesia (AFMI) after the organizations negotiated a historic ban on the dog and cat meat trades at the Tomohon market in July of last year.

HSI transported the 24 dogs, including Abbie, Lano, Jilly, Oliver, and Root to its care and rehabilitation center near Washington, D.C., where they are now receiving nutritious food, veterinary care, and time to heal from their ordeal. After this initial phase, they will be placed with shelter and rescue partners before they are adopted into loving homes.

The day that Tomohon Extreme Market announced a ban on the dog and cat meat trades, HSI and AFMI campaigners saved a total of 25 dogs and three cats from being bludgeoned and blowtorched to death for human consumption. One dog named Daisy was subsequently adopted by HSI rescuer Lola Webber who lives in Indonesia, and all three cats also found loving homes on the island. More than 130,000 dogs and countless cats annually are slaughtered in public markets across Indonesia’s island of Sulawesi, with more than 1 million dogs per year killed for the meat trade nationwide.

“For dogs like Daisy, change came literally just in time in Tomohon. As proud adopter of Daisy, who utterly stole my heart when we rescued her, I am filled with hope for these wonderful dogs as they begin their journey to find happy homes in the United States,” said Lola Webber, HSI’s director of Ending Dog Meat campaigns. “Daisy was at one of the slaughterhouses we closed down that supplied Tomohon Extreme Market, and which alone had killed hundreds of these terrified animals every week for years. It was a filthy place with a blood-stained floor and emaciated dogs crammed in steel cages, peering out desperately. I will never forget the look of fear in their eyes.”

“These poor animals witnessed and experienced unimaginable brutality and traumatizing cruelty. But I know how transformative love can be for dogs and cats rescued from the meat trade. Sweet Daisy is living proof that with kindness, patience and compassion, these dogs can look forward to happy futures surrounded by families who love them,” continued Webber. “Daisy is adored by my husband and me and our four children, and is living the life all dogs deserve. I can’t wait to see the same happy ending for Romeo, Poppy, Rocky and friends.”

The ban at Tomohon market, introduced by Mayor Caroll Senduk, not only shut down this cruel trade at the market itself, but also impacted the vast network of animal thieves and traffickers across the entire province for whom sales at the market were a prime motivation. As a leading member of the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition, HSI has helped achieve bans on the dog and cat meat trades in 40 cities and regencies so far, with provinces also pledging action to eradicate the trade, and the charity aims for further victories in 2024. The ultimate goal is a nationwide ban on the dog and cat meat trades, which HSI hopes Indonesia’s policy makers will feel inspired to introduce after the ban that just passed in South Korea.

In November of last year, a host of Hollywood and Indonesian stars wrote a letter to President Joko Widodo urging him to ban the dog and cat meat trades. The letter, signed by stars including: Kim Basinger, Courteney Cox, Andie McDowell, Dame Judi Dench, Alicia Silverstone, Leona Lewis OBE, Daisy Fuentes, Billie Eilish, Charlize Theron, and Clint Eastwood, alongside Indonesian mega-stars Bubah Alfian, Cinta Laura Kiehl, D.J Bryant, Davina Veronica, Luna Maya, Prilly Latuconsia, called for a ban “so that we can soon celebrate a truly dog and cat meat-free Indonesia.” The stars went on to say, “We stand strong with the overwhelming majority of Indonesian citizens and international visitors who oppose the dog and cat meat trades and believe in protecting animals from cruelty and exploitation.”

HSI’s rescues and dog transports are in compliance with national and local animal and public health recommendations. Following their rescue, the animals were evaluated by a veterinarian, treated for endo- and ectoparasites, vaccinated against rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvo virus, parainfluenza, leptospira, and screened for illness to ensure the health of each animal and to comply with international import and export requirements. On arrival to the United States, the dogs were further cleared by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention before being received at the care and rehabilitation center.