IMPORTANT PROGRESS IN ENDING THE DOG MEAT TRADE�

IMPORTANT PROGRESS IN ENDING THE DOG MEAT TRADE�

On 22 and 23 August, the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA) hosted a conference in Hanoi about stopping the international dog meat trade between Thailand and Vietnam. ACPA is comprised of Soi Dog Foundation, Humane Society International, Animals Asia, and Change for Animals Foundation. Close to 40 people attended the conference, including officials from the governments of Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia and representatives of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and of the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC).

We were quite pleased with the outcome and feel the symposium was a tremendous step forwarded. A key element for the respective governments is eliminating rabies. Transporting unvaccinated dogs across borders makes this virtually impossible and is serious concern in the ASEAN region. The ASEAN group of nations has a mandate to eliminate rabies from the region by the year 2020.

(To stay up to date on the matter subscribe to Soi Dog�s newsletter at: http://www.soidog.org/en/newsletter-sign-up/)

The first day of the meeting consisted of presentations by members of the governments of the four countries involved, representatives of the FAO and GARC, John Dalley of Soi Dog, Kelly O�Meara of HSI, and Lola Webber of Change for Animals Foundation. Tuan Bendixsen of Animals Asia served as the master of ceremonies. During the second day, the attendees discussed the link between the illegal international dog meat trade in the region and rabies. This included a discussion about the dog meat trade preventing the governments from accomplishing their goal of eliminating rabies by 2020 because the trade spreads rabies through the large scale transport of unvaccinated dogs.

At the end of the conference, the officials from all four countries agreed to make the following recommendations to their governments:

1. Risk assessment of linkage between mass transport of dogs and rabies transmission.

2. Moratorium on the transport of dogs for commercial purposes from one country to another for 5 year period to research the impact on rabies transmission.

3. Strengthen enforcement of existing regulations concerning illegal transport of dogs.

4. International organizations provide technical support and human and financial resources to strengthen ability to eliminate rabies.

5. Use other regional initiatives to address the problems of rabies elimination and illegal movement of dogs.

ACPA will continue to collaborate closely with the governments of the region to assist with the implementation of these recommendations and help guide the countries toward eliminating the illegal dog meat trade and eradicating rabies.

We will be sending out more detailed information in the near future including information on how the public (you!) can help further the initiative.

All in all good news!

To stay up to date on the matter subscribe to Soi dog�s newsletter at: http://www.soidog.org/en/newsletter-sign-up/

Source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=577444808963925&set=a.577444785630594.1073742139.108625789179165&type=1&relevant_count=9

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Soi Dog Foundation

Established in 2003 in Phuket, Thailand, Soi Dog is Southeast Asia's largest organisation helping stray animals. The Gill Dalley sanctuary in Phuket is home to over 1,600 animals. Soi Dog also has a treatment facility in Bangkok and responds to crisis situations throughout Thailand. The organisation is dedicated to implementing effective, sustainable solutions that reduce the suffering of dogs and cats in Asia, runs entirely on donations and works efficiently so all donations are used to help animals as effectively as possible.

The foundation is a registered not-for-profit organisation in Thailand, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, France and Holland. It has a maximum 4-star rating with Charity Navigator, the largest and most-utilised independent non-profit evaluator in the United States, a platinum seal of transparency from Candid, the world’s largest source of non-profit information, a Top Rated award from Greatnonprofits and the Travelers’ Choice award from Tripadvisor.

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