The Bali police seized 56 kilograms of dog meat from street food vendors. They were making Indonesian skewers, sate (sate jinggik or sate asi), from it.
The head of the Bali provincial police, Dewa Nyoman Rai Dharmadi, reported that the meat was confiscated during a raid conducted by the police in Jembrana and Buleleng. The inspections took place on July 23 and 24. As a result, several traders were identified. They received warnings and now have a final chance to cease their trade.
Regional Regulation No. 5, Article 28, Paragraph 1 prohibits the distribution and sale of dog meat. It came into effect not long ago, and many street vendors continue to ignore it. Dewa Nyoman Rai Dharmadi stated, "We will not immediately jail all these traders, but we are showing that the ban exists and the consequences of violating it will be unpleasant. Repeat offenders will be punished to the fullest extent. We are not playing games." It is reported that two of the dog meat suppliers are due to appear in court in August.
The trade in dog meat was officially banned back in 2023. The entire Balinese community, including foreigners and locals, had been opposing this trade for years and achieved legislative restrictions on this cruel practice. Besides the fact that few people like the idea of dogs being killed for meat, the problem is that these traders often simply capture stray and domestic dogs from the streets. According to Article 28, Paragraph 1 of the regional regulation, this violation is punishable by up to 3 months of imprisonment and a fine of 50 million rupiahs.
The detained traders were not selling the meat to tourist restaurants but were working with warungs. One of the main problems with this trade is that dog meat is often passed off as meat from other animals, and the buyer may not even realize what they are eating.
In many parts of Indonesia, the food culture is very different from what a European would consider normal. In some places in Indonesia, such as Manado and several other regions, people happily eat rats, lizards, dogs, and snakes. For example, in Indonesia, there is a traditional dish called "dog meat soup" or "kumbang." Dog owners in Bali are advised to keep a closer eye on their pets to prevent them from getting into trouble.
Sources: kompas, tribun-bali
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