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Tied up in bags dozens of dogs wait their turn to have their throats cut.

The sickening image is just one of many revealed by animal welfare campaigners in a dog and cat meat market in Indonesia.

It has prompted campaigners including actors Peter Egan and Ricky Gervais to urge the Indonesian government to stick to promises to ban the harrowing trade.

“The facts are just horrible,” said Downtown Abbey star Peter.

(Image: DMFI)

“The dogs and cats caught up in these egregious trades are my first thought in the morning and my last thought at night.

“Dogs serve mankind loyally and deserve to be treated with compassion and respect.”

(Image: Dog Meat-Free Indonesia)

(Image: DMFI)

The coalition of welfare groups Dog Meat Free Indonesia recently published nightmare footage filmed at a market on the island of Sulawesi.

Now the campaigners have revealed equally dreadful atrocities taking place in filthy make-shift slaughterhouses in Surakarta, also known as Solo, the capital of the island of Java.

This is despite the Ministry of Agriculture having issued a directive in September that won global applause for calling on provincial governments to tackle the dog and cat meat trades.

(Image: DMFI) (Image: DMFI)

Ricky Gervais said: “The dog and cat meat trades are cruel and dangerous, and the time is now for action to be taken to banish these horrors to the history books of shame and illegality.

“The world is watching and waiting for action, today.”

This latest investigation by Dog Meat Free Indonesia reveals that an estimated 13,700 dogs of unknown disease and vaccination status continue to be captured and stolen each month throughout Java – home to over half of Indonesia’s nearly 270 million people.

“It is devastatingly sad to think of the thousands of dogs and cats who are losing their lives in the most terrifying ways every day,” said Sophia Latjuba, actress and Dog Meat Free Indonesia ambassador.

“As a nation who values compassion, humanity and respect for all, we must extend these principles to animals, who are often the most vulnerable members of our society.

"If we truly value peace and kindness for all, we must align our actions with our words and call for a dog meat-free Indonesia.”

(Image: DMFI)

(Image: DMFI)

It is estimated that just 7% of Indonesia’s population eats dog meat, but they do so a great risk to themselves in a country where rabies is rife.

“It is time to finally wake up to the true cost of the dog meat trade,” said Jill Robinson MBE, Animals Asia founder.

“It is a public health emergency directly responsible for thousands of deaths every year due to the spread of rabies.

“No meal is worth so many innocent lives.”

(Image: DMFI) (Image: DMFI)

Dr Katherine Polak of FOUR PAWS warned: “We know that rabies control and elimination efforts are futile without addressing the dog meat trade which is the only trade known to encourage the mass unregulated movement of dogs of unknown disease and vaccination status, facilitating the spread of the disease and disrupting any attempts to reach the required canine vaccination coverage required to ultimately eliminate the disease from the dog population.”

Karin Franken of the Jakarta Animal Aid Network said the Indonesian government's pledges need to be followed by effective actions: “For now, the illegal trades continue, threatening the health and safety of millions of Indonesians, and resulting in the suffering of thousands of animals each day.”