FOUR PAWS Actions during the COVID-19 Pandemic
We continue to fight to end the Dog and Cat Meat Trade during the pandemic
The COVID-19 crisis has affected billions of lives around the world, including animals. In order to prevent the next potential pandemic from occurring, FOUR PAWS is lobbying regional governments for change, to end the dog and cat meat trade for good. Our teams are also working on the ground with our local partners operating feeding programs to ensure animals receive the care they need during this unprecedented time and don’t end up in the hands of dog and cat meat traders. Our teams have also been conducting investigations to uncover how the COVID-19 situation has affected the dog and cat meat trade.
In an effort to encourage governments and authorities to take urgent action against the trade, FOUR PAWS has taken the following measures:
Indonesia
As part of the Dog Meat Free Indonesia’ coalition, we sent a letter to the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo asking for the Indonesian government to stop the dog and cat meat and wildlife trades in light of known animal and human health risks and the risk of new emerging viruses.
Release of a ground-breaking report on the Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Southeast Asia
We released a first-of-its-kind report on the Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Southeast Asia in English, German, Vietnamese and Khmer, bringing attention to the scale, illegal workings and health risks of the dog and cat meat trade.
Cambodia
With our partner Animal Rescue Cambodia, we sent a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture in Cambodia, highlighting the risks of the trade and urging action.
Vietnam
We sent a letter to the Hanoi People’s Committee, highlighting the health risks of the dog and cat meat trade. This was done in partnership with our partners in Vietnam: Paws for Compassion and Vietnam Cat Welfare, as well as our international partners Change for Animals Foundation.
Europe
We, along with Compassion in World Farming and World Animal Protection, wrote an open letter to the EU, asking them to take action to prevent future emergence of disease similar to COVID-19, including asking them to advocate for banning live animal markets where wildlife, as well as cats and dogs are sold for consumption.
Cambodia
With our partner Animal Rescue Cambodia, we submitted a letter to the Cambodian Ministry of Health, calling attention to the dangers of dog and cat meat consumption, and highlighting our concern that some people were eating the meat in the mistaken belief that it will 'protect' them from COVID-19 infection.
Vietnam
With our partners in the Asia Canine Protection Alliance, we wrote a letter to the Hanoi People’s Committee chairman to ask him to follow through on their stated goal of ending the dog and cat meat trade and to now introduce a legislative ban.
Asia
FOUR PAWS issued an international press release on the continued dog and cat meat sales throughout Southeast Asia despite progress seen elsewhere in banning the trade, including in the Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Cambodia & Vietnam
Open letters were sent to the the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Deputy Prime-Minister of Vietnam through the Asia for Animals Coalition and Asia Canine Protection Alliance, asking them to pass policies to end the dog and cat meat trade.
Cambodia & Vietnam
A new local campaign on the risk of the Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Cambodia and Vietnam was launched. The campaign’s aim is to increase public awareness of the risks of the trade in particular its potential to be the source of the next pandemic.
