Indonesians Taste for Dog Meat Grows In Popularity

YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA - JULY 27: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains graphic content) Dogs are bound in sacks before their slaughter at a dog meat butchery house on July 27, 2017 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Indonesians have seen a surprising hike in dog meat sales even though the world's most populous Muslim country does not have a tradition of eating dogs due to their religion. According to reports, an increasing number of people started stealing dogs to sell to meat vendors for additional income, with up to 100,000 dogs slaughtered for consumption every year in Bali using inhumane and unsanitary methods. The sale of dog meat is not illegal in Indonesia, but animal cruelty and the sale of infected meat is, as footage uncovered by animal rights groups recently revealed dogs being kept for days in horrific conditions before being violently slaughtered and sold to unsuspecting tourists at food stalls on Balinese beaches, even though the local government has denied the allegations. Dog meat is known to be popular in some parts of Indonesia and other Asian countries but reports have indicated a surprising contrast with countries like South Korea and China, where the practice of eating dog meat have been increasingly shunned as incomes have risen, while many Indonesians who are too poor to eat livestock, they can still afford dogs or cats for consumption, which consumers believe can cure skin diseases and boost vitality. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)