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 con-
current resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation 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 consump-
tion or trade of dog and cat meat was included in section 
12515 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub-
lic Law 115–334), which was enacted on December 20, 
2018; 
Whereas the consumption of dog meat has occurred through-
out the world, primarily in Asia; 
Whereas established dog meat markets still exist today; 
Whereas Humane Society International, Animals Asia Foun-
dation, and others estimate that 30,000,000 dogs and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:48 Sep 27, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HC66.IH
HC66
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
•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 bene-
fits, dogs killed for their meat may be intentionally sub-
jected to extreme fear and suffering through hanging and 
bludgeoning; 
Whereas there have been reports of abuse, poor living condi-
tions, and cruel slaughtering techniques for dogs and cats 
farmed for their meat; 
Whereas many dogs and cats die during transport to slaugh-
terhouses 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 Hu-
mane 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 con-
sumption; 
Whereas the World Health Organization has linked the dog 
meat industry to human outbreaks of trichinellosis, chol-
era, and rabies; 
Whereas those involved in the dog meat industry are at an 
increased health risk for zoonotic diseases, such as rabies, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:57 Sep 27, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HC66.IH
HC66
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
•HCON 66 IH 
which can transfer from dogs to humans through infec-
tious material such as saliva; 
Whereas the spread of disease may be exacerbated by unsani-
tary 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 Alli-
ance 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 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress— 
(1) calls for an end to the consumption and 
trade of dog and cat meat on cruelty and public 
health grounds; 
(2) urges all nations with a dog and cat meat 
trade to adopt and enforce laws banning the con-
sumption and trade; and 
(3) affirms the commitment of the United 
States to advancing the cause of animal protection 
and animal welfare, both domestically and around 
the world. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:48 Sep 27, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HC66.IH
HC66
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS