© Getty Images

Equal disgust -

While most Western cultures would view the consumption of dog meat with disgust, it’s important to understand that many other cultures would view commonly-consumed Western meats with the same disdain. Hindus in India, for example, consider it shameful to raise cattle for meat.

© Getty Images

Indonesia -

In Indonesia, it is legal to consume dog meat, although it is practiced only by a minority. The sale of dog meat in the country has been banned in 21 cities and regencies around the nation, but pets and stray street dogs are often abducted and slaughtered for consumption.

© Getty Images

China -

China is the biggest consumer of dog meat in the world, where about 10 million dogs (and four million cats) are consumed every year. Dog meat has been a traditional delicacy in the country for thousands of years, although it is now becoming far less popular.

© Getty Images

China -

Every year, the Chinese city of Yulin hosts the Lychee and Dog Meat Festival, which has drawn a lot of controversy around the world. The cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai have already outlawed the consumption of dog meat since 2020.

© Getty Images

Canada -

The slaughter and sale of dog meat in Canada is entirely legal, but laws stipulate that restaurants must purchase the meat from a licensed dog meat processing plant. Incidentally, no such processing plant exists.

© Getty Images

United States -

It is considered incredibly taboo to consume dog meat in the United States. Although the country technically lacks any national law that bans its consumption, there is prohibition in place that outlaws the transportation, delivery, and slaughter of dogs and cats for this purpose.

© Getty Images

United States -

Native Americans in the US are not subject to the prohibition, however. Their religious rituals and traditional ceremonies often require dog meat to be consumed, and so they are provided federal exemption.

© Getty Images

France -

Consuming dog meat is generally taboo in Europe, although laws vary considerably. In France, it is entirely illegal to slaughter and sell dog meat, although the actual act of consumption is legal.

© Getty Images

Australia -

The sale of cat and dog meat is prohibited across the entirety of Australia, although only one of the country’s 16 states and territories (South Australia) has specifically outlawed its consumption, which has been in place since 1953.

© Shutterstock

Brazil -

Much like other nations on this list, Brazil has vehemently outlawed the slaughter and sale of dog meat, but there are no laws put in place to prevent consumption. It is unpopular to eat dog meat in the country, but not unheard of.

© Getty Images

India -

In India, the sale and consumption of dog meat is entirely legal. Indeed, the country is considered one of the leading consumers of dog meat in the world, although popularity has decreased as younger generations view dogs and cats as companions rather than cuisine.

© Getty Images

United Kingdom -

In the United Kingdom, it is strictly forbidden to sell dog meat, but it is entirely legal to kill and consume dog meat as long as the animal is owned by the consumer and is also killed humanely.

© Getty Images

Germany -

Since 1986, the production, sale, and import of dog meat has been entirely illegal in Germany, although consumption has yet to be outlawed and still happens occasionally.

© Getty Images

Switzerland -

Much like Germany, the slaughter and sale of dog meat is banned in Switzerland, but a select few in the nation still consume it. In fact, around 3% of people in Switzerland (especially in rural areas) eat dog meat, often in the form of jerky or traditional sausages.

© Getty Images

Chile -

The commercial sale of dog meat is illegal in Chile, but consumption is entirely lawful. The country does not have a major history with consuming dog meat, although a select few still partake.

© Getty Images

Nigeria -

In Africa, dog meat is consumed for the purposes of rituals in approximately 20 nations, including Nigeria. The country actively eats dog meat, as it is believed to have medicinal powers.

© Getty Images

Russia -

In Russia, the consumption of dog meat is legal, and the country has also been known to breed St. Bernard dogs that are exported to China and then bred with local dogs in meat farms.

© Getty Images

DRC -

Consuming dog meat in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is legal and still practiced, despite the taboo in place around the country. The high consumption of dog meat is driven by high prices for other types of meat.

© Getty Images

Vietnam -

Vietnam is the second-largest consumer of dog meat in the world, after China, and it is considered a dietary staple. Dog meat is believed to have medicinal properties that also bring good fortune.

© Getty Images

Vietnam -

The dog meat trade in Vietnam processes an estimated five million dogs every year. Indeed, this has increased so rapidly that an illegal import market has developed, and dogs are imported from neighboring countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand.

© Getty Images

Uzbekistan -

Uzbekistan sees dog meat as an integral element of medicine. Dog fat is perceived as a method of treatment for tuberculosis, and was reportedly a folk remedy for COVID-19.

© Getty Images

Malaysia -

In Malaysia, it is legal to consume dog meat, although the country has had an incredibly tumultuous history regarding this. In 2013, it was discovered that restaurants caged and tortured dogs before they were slaughtered for meat.

© Getty Images

Ghana -

Dog meat is considered a major delicacy in Ghana. The people of the Frafra and Dagaaba tribes in Ghana often eat dog meat as a bonding meal.

© Getty Images

Cameroon -

The Vame people in Cameroon have been known to consume dog meat for certain religious rituals, and the country as a whole has not intended to ban the act.

© Getty Images

South Korea -

As of 2024, as many as one million dogs are consumed every year in South Korea. However, a national ban on slaughter, sale, and consumption has been ratified and will be put into effect in 2027.

© Getty Images

North Korea -

Traditions of consuming dog meat in North Korea date back to ancient times, and a wall painting in the Goguryeo tombs complex depicts a slaughtered dog in a storehouse. It is still legal to consume dog meat in North Korea, and the government has even included dog meat in its list of fixed prices.

© Getty Images

Kazakhstan -

In October 2021, a ban on dog meat was announced in Kazakhstan, although laws have yet to be ratified to make consumption illegal. According to government statistics, there are still around 1,150 dog meat farms across the nation.

© Getty Images

Cambodia -

Cambodia is one of the countries where dog meat is consumed the most. Around two to three million dogs are slaughtered annually, while as many as 50% of the population has consumed the meat at some point in their lives.

© Getty Images

Liberia -

The consumption of dog meat in Liberia is legal and practiced often. However, consumption carries with it a non-trivial risk of disease, mainly Ebola, since the places and methods used to slaughter and sell the meat are usually unsanitary.

© Getty Images

Central African Republic -

The Central African Republic is also one of the many nations in Africa that actively practices the legal consumption of dog meat. Many times, dogs are stolen and killed for the purpose of being eaten, especially in the capital city, Bangui.

Sources: (World Population Review) (Humane Society International) (The Dog Press) (World Animal Foundation)

See also: Common medical conditions in cats and dogs

© Getty Images