Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/indonesian-slaughterhouse-rescue/

Moments before being brutally killed for their meat, more than 50 dogs were rescued from a truck that was headed to an illegal slaughterhouse in Sukoharjo, Indonesia.

The emaciated dogs were tied up in sacks, had muzzles bound tight with ropes or cables, and their eyes were wide open with fear.

Local police and rescuers from Dog Meat Free Indonesia (DMFI) coalition and the Humane Society of the United States worked together to save these poor dogs.

“After carefully untying the dogs and calming them down, we could see that all of them were very young, just under a year old and very emaciated from the ten-hour nightmare journey that they had been subjected to,” Four Paws wrote on Facebook.

The dogs received emergency medical care and were then transported to a temporary shelter, where they will continue to be treated and nursed back to health.

Many of the dogs who were stolen pets will be returned to their families, and the rest will be put up for adoption.

The man suspected of being a dog meat trader on the Indonesian island of Java has since been arrested.

He is believed to be at the center of the dog meat trade and has a history of involvement in this for more than 20 years. He also coordinates shipments of hundreds of dogs for slaughter every month, killing on average 30 dogs a day.

“We receive many complaints about illegal dog meat traders’ operations,” Tarjono Sapto Nugroho, Head of Crime Investigation of Sukoharjo Police said to Four Paws International in a statement. “People do not want this trade or slaughter in their communities. Dogs are friends, not food.”

Nugroho explains that while dog meat consumption is considered culture by some, the trade is illegal and strictly prohibited by Islamic law. The Sukoharjo Police will continue to support the Central Javan government’s efforts to eradicate the dog meat eating culture and trade.

Listen to the full story and see the dogs being rescued in the video below:

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Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog