After the Regency of Karanganyar in Central Java announced plans to eliminate the dog meat trade, provincial authorities have rallied behind the initiative. Concurrently, Bali is ramping up efforts to shut down all dog meat restaurants island-wide, declaring the practice illegal.

On June 17th, Karanganyar Regency on Java, the most populous island in Indonesia, declared its intention to completely eradicate the dog meat trade within its borders. Authorities have already begun discussions with dog meat vendors about alternative livelihoods for families who rely on this trade. This initiative is expected to save 2,000 dogs each month. Following this significant move—the first of its kind on Java—authorities across the island are advocating for an end to the trade, citing its extreme cruelty and the public health risks, particularly the spread of the rabies virus.

The Central Java Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Service quickly voiced its support for Karanganyar’s decisive action, emphasizing the trade’s illegality, dangers, and inherent cruelty. On June 27th, the Regent of Wonogiri joined the call to end the dog meat trade in his Central Javan Regency. These developments are particularly impactful given that Central Java is a major center for the dog meat trade on the island, which is home to over half of Indonesia’s population.

Meanwhile, in Bali, a top tourist destination in Indonesia, local reports indicate that 77 dog meat stalls have been shut down. Authorities have vowed to continue cracking down on those who persist in the trade. The Head of Animal Health stated that the sale of dog meat is “clearly prohibited by law because dog meat is not considered food” and it poses a significant risk of spreading rabies.

These recent actions are consistent with a 2018 directive from the Central Government to all provincial governments. This directive followed a pledge at the National Coordination of Animal Welfare meeting in Jakarta last year, where officials condemned the dog meat trade as “torture for animals” after reviewing footage from Dog Meat Free Indonesia (DMFI) investigations. They declared that “dog meat or any animal not registered as farm animals is illegal.” This long-awaited change comes after years of DMFI investigations that documented the brutal treatment of dogs, leading to widespread national and global condemnation.