Many of the animals are pets that are stolen from their owners and then drowned, hung, stabbed or burnt alive, FOUR PAWS says. In its report, the organisation says "there is a growing local opposition to the dog and cat meat trade throughout south-east Asia, particularly among the younger generation and among pet owners in the region. Government officials in the countries involved are also showing signs of wanting this trade to end." Dogs in cages in the back of a van in Cambodia. Credit:FOUR PAWS The Dog Meat-Free Indonesia (DMFI') coalition - which is made up of FOUR PAWS, Humane Society International, Jakarta Animal Aid Network, Animal Friends Jogja and Change for Animals Foundation - last month sent an open letter to President Joko Widodo, expressing its concerns about coronavirus, wildlife, and the dog and cat meat trade in Indonesia. FOUR PAWS chief executive Josef Pfabigan says in his group's report that every aspect of the cat and dog-meat trade involves extreme levels of cruelty.

"Our investigations have documented the horrendous suffering inflicted on dogs and cats as they

are snatched from the streets or stolen from their homes, transported and held in appalling conditions, to be brutally and mercilessly slaughtered by the crudest of means. "But it is not only animal welfare at stake; the trade also presents grave implications for human

health and welfare. People involved in the trade and those consuming the meat are at risk of contracting and spreading life-threatening diseases such as rabies. "Exposure to extremely violent slaughter methods has the potential to affect the psychological

welfare of adults, children and tourists who witness them. All of these considerations can have a negative impact on tourism and the economy in these countries." The FOUR PAWS investigation found that, each year, more than 3 million dogs are estimated to be killed for their meat in Cambodia, more than 1 million dogs in Indonesia and more than 5 million dogs and 1 million cats in Vietnam.

Loading In December, the governor of the Indonesian province of Central Java ordered officials in the city of Solo, a hot spot for dog meat, to end the practice, after an investigation by DMFI exposed the extreme cruelty to the estimated 13,700 dogs killed in the city every month. Solo, where Joko was born, is notorious for its trade which goes on despite a directive issued by the central government's Ministry of Agriculture last year calling on provincial governments to tackle the trade. "We are writing to you ... to express our grave concerns following the outbreak of the zoonotic coronavirus in China, and the confirmation that the virus originates from wild animal markets," the DMFI letter to Joko says. "We urge the Indonesian government to take strong and immediate action to mitigate the risk posed by Indonesia’s animal markets.

Loading "We have visited many live animal markets in Indonesia, where the conditions are the same as those being described by scientists as the perfect breeding grounds for new and deadly zoonotic viruses, such as the coronaviruses. "Wild animals – many of which are protected species that have been illegally traded – are

sold and slaughtered in public and unsanitary conditions alongside domestic animal species, including dogs and cats, potentially exposing thousands of people every day to a variety of zoonotic diseases throughout Indonesia." Dr Katherine Polak, veterinarian and head of FOUR PAWS Stray Animal Care in south-east Asia, says, "The traders steal pets as well as stray animals and transport them all over the country, even across national borders. No one knows if the animals are infected with rabies or other diseases. "The keeping and slaughtering of the dogs and cats, mostly in live animal markets or backyards, is not only extremely brutal, but also fails to meet minimum hygienic standards.

Loading "This creates the perfect breeding ground for novel and deadly zoonotic viruses, such as the coronavirus. "Although most local people in south-east Asia oppose dog and cat meat, the trade in around 10 million animals per year has continued to serve as a niche business. "Governments in south-east Asia must act quickly to protect both animals and humans," she says. Karin Franken from Jakarta Animal Aid Network says: "We are optimistic that the Governor of Central Java will take strong and urgent actions to ensure prohibition rules are passed to end the trade in, slaughtering and consumption of dogs.

Loading "We know that only a minority of Indonesians consume dog meat, yet the trade threatens the health and safety of the entire nation, not to mention results in the immeasurable and unimaginable suffering of tens of thousands of dogs throughout Indonesia each month. "It is a cruel and dangerous trade that must stop, and the DMFI stands ready to help provide practical and on-the-ground support to secure the dual aims of eliminating both the dog and cat meat trades and rabies." Working with local animal welfare organisations, FOUR PAWS has launched a campaign in south-east Asia and internationally, including Australia, to end the trade. The focus is on introducing animal protection laws through education and co-operation with authorities and tourism bodies.