Animal rights activists have sounded alarm bells after they found that a dog carcass being sold in an Indonesian market was infected with rabies.
According to Humane Society International (HSI), which is part of the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition, nine dog carcasses from different markets were sent to the provincial government’s diagnostic laboratory, Brisbane Times reported.
One carcass from Tomohon Market in North Sulawesi tested positive for rabies, which can spread to humans during the slaughter of dogs or through contact with infected meat.
The coalition is now urging the Indonesian government to ban the trade of dog and cat meat as they pose a danger to public health and safety.
In May international celebrities including Cameron Diaz, Ellen DeGeneres, Simon Cowell, Ricky Gervais and Indonesian singer Anggun called on the Indonesian government to ban the trade and protect animals from abuse and cruelty.
Animal rights group have also been calling for a ban on eating dog meat in Asian countries such as Vietnam and South Korea, as well as in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.