OS NOSSOS MELHORES AMIGOS

The lives of almost 2,000 dogs have been saved just in time, before they were to be transported to a neighbouring country to be cooked and eaten.

But although they have been saved from dog-trader gangs, no one can guarantee they will be safe and survive in their crowded cages while a shortage of food threatens their lives.

Some of the animals were reported dead or injured. The rest are at Nakhon Phanom Animal Quarantine Station.

They looked exhausted after they were moved from the small cages to be put in the station's only big cage. But that cage, which has a maximum capacity of 500 dogs, now has to house 1,800. They have inadequate food and water, as the station does not have the budget to feed such a huge crowd of dogs.

Nakhon Phanom Governor Rerngsak Mahawinijchaimontree said his team cooperated with animal-control staff and police to arrest the gangs on Thursday night.

He said they arrested Montree Thanklang, 45, a Nakhon Phanom resident, and Pan Hai, 30, a Vietnamese, while they were in a truck containing 600 dogs passing through the province's Na Thom district. Four other trucks containing 1,200 dogs were seized while they travelled through Si Songkhram district, where police arrested Noppadon Chaiwangrot, 40, a Sakon Nakhon resident.

Rerngsak said police were told that Noppadon had earlier released 600 other dogs into a forest.

"Police believe all the dogs would have been transferred to a ship waiting in Ban Phaeng district of Nakhon Phanom before going across the Mekong River to be sold in Vietnam, where lots of dogs are ordered to be cooked as famous exotic dishes."

He said police pressed charges against the suspect under the Animal Epidemic Act 1956 that prohibits relocating animals to zones at risk of epidemics without permission.

Previously, the province's authorities raided a place that housed dogs before they were traded in Na Wa district in June.

Reportedly dogs price can bring prices of Bt500-Bt1,000. Most dog traders have been reported from Tha Rae district in Sakon Nakhon. They travel to villages to barter goods, especially plastic buckets - each bucket costs only Bt50-Bt100.

The Animal Guardians Association has urged Rerngsak to seek better ways to help them.

To help the dogs in terms of donations, adoption or providing them shelter, people can contact the governor, the quarantine station or the association.

Em Macau desde à muitos anos que é proibido a venda de carne de cão, bem como a proibição dos restaurante confecionarem qualquer tipo de prato com a carne do melhor amigo do homem.

Porém, na cidade vizinha de Macau, Chi Hoi, pode adquirir-se carne de cães nos mercados locais, bem como consumir em muitos restaurantes, alguns pratos confecionados com carne de cão.

O articulista um dia em serviço no terminal Marítimo de Macau, e tendo sido confecionado para o jantar algo de exótico, mas não sabendo que se tratava de carne de cão, o articulista provou, não gostou, e quando soube que se tratava de carne de cão, confecionada por agentes da polícia, ficou indignado e não mais permitiu que se tornasse a repetir.

Carne de cachorro é um alimento consumido principalmente na Ásia (e.g. China, Coréia e Vietnã) e alguns países da África (e.g. Nigéria). Seu consumo resulta da tradição cultural, escassez ou racionamento de outras fontes de carne ou da crença nos benefícios medicinais atribuídos à várias partes do cachorro.Nos países em que é consumida, a carne canina é considerada uma iguaria preparada para ocasiões especiais e festivas.

Na Nigéria, por exemplo, os animais consumidos provém da caça de cães selvagens ou do sacrifício de animais velhos ou doentes. Já nas Filipinas, onde o alimento é aceito como parte do direito cultural e religioso, os cães são criados na área rural especificamente para o consumo humano.

Os críticos ao consumo desta carne defendem que os cachorros são inerentemente emocionais e amigáveis à humanidade, ou que os métodos de abate são excessivamente cruéis. Por outro lado, este juízo também é visto como imperialismo cultural e intolerância.