Urged To Ban The Dog Meat Trade In Solo, Mayor Gibran: I Studied It Before

Wali Kota Solo Gibran Rakabuming / Antara

JAKARTA - The Mayor of Surakarta, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, will conduct a study regarding the insistence on a ban on the trade in dog meat from the Dog Meat Free Indonesia Coalition (DMFI).

"I will study it first," he said in Solo, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, April 21.

However, the son of President Joko Widodo admits that he is open to all the suggestions that have come to him, including the request that the Surakarta City Government prohibits the trade in dog meat as has been done by a number of other local governments such as the Karanganyar and Sukoharjo Regency Governments.

"Suggestions and inputs have been included," he said.

Regarding this, the Head of the Surakarta City Agriculture, Food Security and Fisheries Service (Dispertan-KPP) Aryo Widyandoko said that the government continues to provide guidance to culinary sellers of dog meat.

The guidance provided includes procedures for slaughtering dogs that do not torture and ensuring the health of the dogs they consume, while regarding supervision, his party cooperates with the Trade Service (Disdag) and the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP).

"We often check in the field to determine whether the food being sold is really healthy or not," he said.

Previously, DMFI encouraged the Mayor of Surakarta to immediately take firm action by issuing a law prohibiting the trade and consumption of dog meat.

In his written statement, the National Coordinator of the Dog Meat Free Indonesia Coalition Karin Franken said Solo was the center of a large number of dog meat trades. DMFI noted that there are 85 food stalls serving dog meat as a menu in Solo.

"About 13,700 dogs are brutally killed each month in dirty slaughterhouses without guaranteeing the cleanliness of the meat from disease," he said.

He said that the ban means that Solo City prioritizes the health and safety of its citizens.