SOME TRADERS SELLING DOG MEAT AS GOAT MEAT  

“Consuming dog meat is not part of the Zambian culture, and this indicate a growing trend of people selling dog meat disguised as goat meat………………..

By Daily News Reporter

The Veterinary Association of Zambia has expressed concern over a thriving underground market for Dog meat especially being sold as Goat meat to unsuspecting customers at public drinking places and on open market in Zambia.

Speaking to the media in Lusaka, the VAZ association president Malcolm Chiyoba stated that the absence of deterrent measures, this practice despite being illegal may become widespread if offenders go unpunished.

Dr. Chiyoba said that Dog meat poses a health threat to humans because of the presence of serious zoonotic diseases that are able to be transmitted from animals to humans, exposing them to diseases such as rabies and parasites including roundworms, hookworms and others.

“Consuming dog meat is not part of the Zambian culture, but recent media reports indicate a growing trend of people selling dog meat disguised as goat meat.

He said currently Zambia has a thriving market in bars and open markets of dog meat, following the unregulated sale and slaughter of small livestock like goats and sheep in these places. He has since called for the strengthening of the provisions of the Food safety Act number 7 of 2019 which regulates the manufacture, sale and use of Food in Zambia.

Meanwhile, Lusaka Animal Welfare Society vice chairperson Sheila Oparaocha added that the demand for dog meat across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo creates a lucrative market which results in illegal, unsafe and cruel handling of dogs in Zambia as investigations have shown that about 100 Dogs are taken across the border every month.

And she further noted about 100 dogs are taken to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) every month through illicit trade to be consumed as meat, an investigation by animal rights groups has revealed.

Dog meat, whose market value is still unknown because the trade is illegal, is said to be on demand across the border in DRC, creating a lucrative market which is fuelling the illegal, unsafe and cruel handling and transportation of dogs within Zambia.

The investigation was done by a consortium of nine animal rights welfare societies in Zambia.

The societies are Lusaka Animal Welfare, Cactus Foundation, Kalumbila Animal Rescue, Kitwe Animal Welfare and Ndola Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Others are the African Animal Rescue Center, the Ark Angel Animal Sanctuary, University of Zambia Vet Students Welfare Committee, and Zambezi Animal Welfare Services.