Indonesian police rescue more than 220 dogs from the slaughterhouse

In Indonesia, police intercepted a truck carrying more than 220 dogs heading to the slaughterhouse, according to authorities. The dogs were found in the bed of the truck with their legs bound and their noses tied.

This is where the car was stopped in the town of Semarang on the island of Java late on Saturday evening. Authorities arrested five members of the truck's crew, charged under the Animal Welfare Act and facing up to five years in prison.

Indonesia is one of the countries where the sale of dog and cat meat is still permitted. However, a campaign against this is gaining more supporters. Some cities such as Semarang have therefore implemented local bans on the trade in recent years.

Local police chief Erwan Anwar told reporters: “We have had information about this matter since last month, but only tonight we were able to thwart the transfer of 226 dogs.” According to preliminary investigations, the dog driver was on his way to the neighboring city of Surakarta, where the dogs were slaughtered. The activists said they provided information regarding the dog's transportation to the police, but then lost track of the transportation. (CDU/AFP)