Producing, selling, or distributing dog and cat meat in the U.S. may soon be illegal, according to new legislation passed by the Senate.
The bill (HR 1406), introduced by Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL), had 254 bi-partisan co-sponsors and passed through the Senate with an 86-11 majority vote.
“This is a tremendous step in banning this horrific practice. I am overjoyed that we now have the language of HR 1406 in the House and Senate farm bills,” Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation (AHWF) founder Marc Ching commented in a statement, according to the media publication World Animal News. “I am personally grateful, along with millions of others that have been working so hard to ban the dog meat trade, to Senators Gillibrand, Toomey and Rubio for offering this amendment and to Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Pat Roberts and ranking member Stabenow for their support.”
The legislation is part of the comprehensive Farm Bill which will be updated and reinstated this September.
“To the activists and individuals who called, wrote emails, and walked the halls in D.C., the World Dog Alliance for their expertise and aid, and to all those that support and help the foundation every day, we are one step closer to change,” Ching said.
The Senate’s vote follows shortly after a Bucheon, South Korea city court outlawed the slaughter of dogs for meat. The decision made headlines, as the nation is infamously known for its consumption and even celebration of dog meat. The local court ruling sent a powerfully defiant statement to the outdated cultural food norms and may set the precedent for other courts across the country to follow suit.
