On July 3, Nagaland government banned dog meat, with no details on how the law will be enforced. It’s a complex situation involving ancestors and Indian law. This is the second time a ban for dog meat has been attempted, after the first time failed. It also involves a fight between people wanting to prohibit dog meat but remove bans on beef consumption. Insults are being flung in all directions.

Animal lovers are thrilled but people in Nagaland and surrounding states are furious and considering challenging the decision in court. People want to know how the law will be implemented because Naga people have been eating dog meat since their forefathers’ time, and will not easily submit to new rules.

Article 371A of Indian law granted Nagaland a special right to allow Naga tribes to practice and maintain their customary law and social practice. The decision to ban dog meat was made without consulting Naga tribes, who consume dog meat as a part of their food culture; called a delicacy. Its thought that purely on legal grounds, it’s unlikely the ban against dog meat would hold if challenged in Court.

Video: Nagaland wet market (not graphic.)

Working for dog smugglers, Assam dog catchers are paid 50 rupees per dog. The same dog, when sold at wholesale rate in Nagaland costs 1000 rupees. On the streets of Nagaland dog meat sells for 200 rupees per kg. That’s 2000 rupees per dog which is a 50% mark up from the dog catchers price (100 kilometers away)”, said FIAPO.

Naga tribes ask why is it morally acceptable to eat beef, pork, lamb or fish, but not dog meat? They say it’s an attempt to invalidate their voices, their experiences and their identity. They say people from the colonial period made them feel bad for their attire before introducing so-called clothes of civilized societies. Naga people say It has been always about making them feel inferior and ashamed of who and what they are by coercing them to adapt, adopt and accept mainstream cultures as the normal or civilized way.

In Nagaland and other north-eastern states, tens of thousands of dogs each year are illegally captured for consumption from the streets or stolen from homes. These states include Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal. Earlier this year in March, neighboring state Mizoram amended their constitution to remove dogs from the list of slaughter animals.

To read more articles on Nagaland’s dog meat trade:

India: Nagaland Dog Meat Market:
https://fightdogmeat.d.wpstage.net/2016/01/04/india-nagaland-dog-meat-market-2/

India: Assam Dogs Trafficked to Nagaland’s Dog Meat Trade:
https://fightdogmeat.d.wpstage.net/2016/03/22/india-assam-dogs-trafficked-to-nagalands-dog-meat-trade/

Nagaland, India: Wednesday Bazaar Dog Meat Market:
https://fightdogmeat.d.wpstage.net/2017/01/27/nagaland-india-wednesday-bazaar-dog-meat-market/

India: Nagaland Dog Meat Dog Tied To The Roof Of A Vehicle:https://fightdogmeat.d.wpstage.net/2017/10/13/india-nagaland-dog-meat-dog-tied-roof-vehicle/

India: Dog Meat Cruelty In Mizoram And Nagaland:
https://fightdogmeat.d.wpstage.net/2017/12/30/india-dog-meat-cruelty-mizoram-nagaland/

India: Nagaland Government Refuse To Ban Dog Meat:
https://fightdogmeat.d.wpstage.net/2016/04/24/india-nagaland-government-refuse-to-ban-dog-meat/

Fight Dog Meat will keep exposing what is taking place to these animals. Collectively we all have to keep yelling to let the governments know that we KNOW what is happening! Turning away or sitting quietly does not end the trade. We’re helping local volunteers have a louder voice on a world platform. Ultimately it’s the voice of the country’s own people whom their government will eventually be forced to listen to, for positive change for animals. With your help and support Fight Dog Meat will continue to pressure governments from the sidelines. We will not be quiet and will not back down. Animal protection laws are needed!

Fight Dog Meat will continue to bring you reports from dog and cat meat countries and the wonderful work their rescuers are doing despite no animal protection laws.

Thank you for reading,

Michele Brown
Founder,
Fight Dog Meat.

Fight Dog Meat is a Registered Charity. We work with a number of animal rescue teams in dog and cat meat countries, including Vietnam and China. Due to Covid-19 flight cancellations Fight Dog Meat has a number of rescued meat dogs in hospital and in rehabilitation in Vietnam. Until international flights start up again we’re under great financial strain to maintain our rescued animals. FDM is still accepting critically injured meat dogs; if we don’t they will die! Many of our dogs have some of the worst injuries in the meat trade. Please consider helping us during this special time.

If you would like to help the animals and rescuers we work with in dog and cat meat countries, please consider a small donation.