IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 66 

Urging all nations to outlaw the dog and cat meat trade and to enforce 

existing laws against such trade. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 

Mr. HASTINGS (for himself and Mr. BUCHANAN) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to 

be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Urging all nations to outlaw the dog and cat meat trade 

and to enforce existing laws against such trade. 

Whereas a bipartisan domestic prohibition on the consumption or trade of dog and cat meat was included in section 

12515 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–334), which was enacted on December 20, 

2018; 

Whereas the consumption of dog meat has occurred throughout the world, primarily in Asia; 

Whereas established dog meat markets still exist today; 

Whereas Humane Society International, Animals Asia Foundation, and others estimate that 30,000,000 dogs and 


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•HCON 66 IH 

10,000,000 cats die annually worldwide as a result of the 

dog and cat meat trade; 

Whereas due to a traditional belief that high adrenaline levels 

produce tender meat and increase supposed health benefits, dogs killed for their meat may be intentionally subjected to extreme fear and suffering through hanging and 

bludgeoning; 

Whereas there have been reports of abuse, poor living conditions, and cruel slaughtering techniques for dogs and cats 

farmed for their meat; 

Whereas many dogs and cats die during transport to slaughterhouses after days or weeks crammed into small cages 

on the back of vehicles without food or water, and others 

suffer illness and injury during transport; 

Whereas the extreme suffering of dogs and cats at such 

slaughterhouses and on transportation trucks would 

breach anti-cruelty laws in the United States, such as the 

Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.); 

Whereas many government officials, civil society advocates, 

and activists are working to end the dog and cat meat 

trade on anti-cruelty and public health grounds, and the 

Governments of Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong have 

passed laws banning the slaughter of dogs for meat consumption; 

Whereas the World Health Organization has linked the dog 

meat industry to human outbreaks of trichinellosis, cholera, and rabies; 

Whereas those involved in the dog meat industry are at an 

increased health risk for zoonotic diseases, such as rabies, 


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which can transfer from dogs to humans through infectious material such as saliva; 

Whereas the spread of disease may be exacerbated by unsanitary conditions of slaughter and by the sale of dog meat 

at open-air markets and restaurants; and 

Whereas the World Health Organization and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control have both acknowledged the link 

between the spread of rabies and the dog meat trade 

which sees large numbers of dogs of unknown disease 

status moved vast distances: Now, therefore be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) calls for an end to the consumption and 

4 trade of dog and cat meat on cruelty and public 

5 health grounds; 

6 (2) urges all nations with a dog and cat meat 

7 trade to adopt and enforce laws banning the con8 sumption and trade; and 

9 (3) affirms the commitment of the United 

10 States to advancing the cause of animal protection 

11 and animal welfare, both domestically and around 

12 the world. 

Æ 


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