Originally published 2021-02-28.
On Sunday 21 February 2021, officials from Cambodia's Siem Reap Provincial Department of Agriculture and the provincial police stopped a minivan as it left Siem Reap town. Inside were 61 dogs packed into six metal cages, on their way to a slaughterhouse in Kampong Cham province. The driver was arrested, and the dogs, a mix of strays and stolen pets, were handed over for care to the animal welfare charity FOUR PAWS and local rescue groups.
It was described as Cambodia's first government-led interception of dogs headed for the meat trade, and it came seven months after Siem Reap became the first Cambodian province to ban the slaughter and sale of dogs for meat. Here is what happened, how the dog meat trade works in Cambodia, and why it matters for both animals and people.
What rescuers found inside the van
Most of the dogs were young. FOUR PAWS veterinarian Dr Katherine Polak, head of the charity's stray animal care work in Southeast Asia, reported that they were suffering from severe heat exhaustion and dehydration and were extremely hungry, likely after days without food. No one knew how long they had been held before being loaded into the van.
The dogs were moved to a holding area, where FOUR PAWS, Paw Patrol Cambodia and Animal Rescue Cambodia gave them food, water, medicine and vaccinations. Some needed intensive treatment. One dog, named Julie, arrived in critical condition with a suspected tick-borne infection and was transferred to Phnom Penh with several others for further care. The charities prepared an off-site shelter to keep the group safe until they could be adopted.
Polak said she hoped the interception would send "a loud and clear message to traffickers across Cambodia."
Siem Reap's 2020 dog meat ban
Older reports said the ban had been passed by Cambodia's national parliament. That is not correct. The ban was provincial. In a letter published on 6 July 2020, Siem Reap's Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries prohibited the slaughter and trading of dogs for meat in the province.
The choice of Siem Reap was significant. The province is home to Angkor Wat, Cambodia's biggest tourist attraction, and FOUR PAWS investigators had found it to be a major hub of the trade. The February 2021 interception was the first time the new rule was enforced in such a visible way, showing that a local ban could lead to real action.
A few days later FOUR PAWS announced another step: an opportunity to close a dog slaughterhouse elsewhere in the country, which it shared on social media.
🐕 Breakthrough with Cambodian dog slaughterhouse 🇰🇭
— FOUR PAWS (@fourpawsint) February 25, 2021
After the incredible rescue of 61 dogs🐕, we thought this week couldn't get any better. Now we have the opportunity to shut the horrific dog slaughterhouse near Phnom Penh down. https://t.co/n1pJfRQuap pic.twitter.com/fLMRYZAIfW
How big is Cambodia's dog meat trade?
According to FOUR PAWS research, an estimated 3 million dogs are slaughtered for meat in Cambodia every year. Its investigators found that around 7,000 dogs a month were traded in Siem Reap province alone, with at least 3,750 live dogs each month transported out to slaughterhouses. They visited 21 restaurants in Siem Reap city serving about 2,900 dogs a month, some near Angkor Wat, and reported more than 100 dog meat restaurants in Phnom Penh.
Many of the dogs are strays, but others are stolen from homes or bought from families in exchange for household goods. They are often transported long distances in crowded cages without food or water. Methods of killing at slaughterhouses documented by investigators are cruel, and the trade operates with little or no hygiene control. These figures come from an advocacy organisation, so they are estimates rather than official statistics, but they are the most detailed data available.
Why the trade is also a public health risk
Animal welfare is only part of the case against the trade. Moving large numbers of dogs of unknown health between provinces, and slaughtering them without controls, risks spreading rabies and other diseases that pass between animals and people. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, and Cambodia has one of the higher burdens of the disease in Asia.
FOUR PAWS project manager Dr Karanvir Kukreja argued that the Siem Reap ban protects people as well as animals. The charity works with authorities and tourism associations to encourage governments to ban and enforce bans on the dog and cat meat trade. Anyone bitten or scratched by a dog in a region where rabies occurs should seek medical care promptly and talk to a doctor about vaccination.
Changing attitudes in Cambodia and across Asia
Eating dog meat has a long history in parts of Asia, but it is far from universal. FOUR PAWS market research suggests fewer than 12% of Cambodians regularly eat dog meat. Across the region, attitudes are shifting as more households keep dogs as pets and younger people turn away from the practice.
Several governments have acted. South Korea passed a law in January 2024 to end the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs for meat by 2027. In Vietnam, Hanoi authorities have urged residents to stop eating dog meat, and Hoi An has pledged to end the trade. In Indonesia and elsewhere, local bans have followed public campaigns. The approach in Siem Reap, a local rule backed by enforcement and partnership with charities, is one model others can copy.
How you can help
- Support local rescue groups. Organisations in Cambodia provide veterinary care, sterilisation and rabies vaccination for street dogs.
- Travel responsibly. Visitors to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh can avoid restaurants that serve dog meat and report suspected trading to local authorities or welfare groups.
- Consider adoption. Some charities rehome rescued dogs locally or abroad; ask how dogs are health-checked and vaccinated before transport.
- Back sensible laws. Bans work best when they are enforced and paired with education and alternative jobs for traders.
The 61 dogs of February 2021 were a small fraction of the animals caught up in the trade each year. Their rescue mattered because it showed that a new rule on paper could be put into practice.
Sources: FOUR PAWS: Slaughterhouse minivan carrying 61 dogs seized in Cambodia (February 2021); FOUR PAWS: Rescue of 61 dogs; FOUR PAWS: Siem Reap first Cambodian province to ban dog meat (July 2020); Daily Mail report on the rescue (February 2021). Video and tweet: FOUR PAWS.
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