IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 59 
Urging all countries to outlaw the dog and cat meat trade and to enforce 
existing laws against such trade. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 20, 2023 
Mr. MOSKOWITZ (for himself, Mr. BUCHANAN, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. COHEN, 
Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Mr. POSEY, Mr. 
RASKIN, Mr. SWALWELL, Ms. TITUS, and Mr. VAN DREW) 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 com-
mittee concerned 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Urging all countries to outlaw the dog and cat meat trade 
and to enforce existing laws against such trade. 
Whereas a bipartisan domestic prohibition on the knowing 
slaughter, transportation, possession, purchase, or sale of 
a dog or cat for human consumption was included in sec-
tion 12515 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 
(7 U.S.C. 2160), which was enacted on December 20, 
2018; 
Whereas the dog and cat meat trade occurs throughout the 
world; 
Whereas established dog meat markets still exist today; 
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•HCON 59 IH 
Whereas non-profit organizations estimate that 30,000,000 
dogs and 10,000,000 cats die annually worldwide as a re-
sult of the dog and cat meat trade, and those organiza-
tions have found that a considerable number of the dogs 
and cats in this trade are stolen pets still wearing collars 
when they reach the slaughterhouses, in addition to stray 
dogs and cats who are captured for slaughter; 
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 and other 
countries; 
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; 
Whereas the World Health Organization has linked the dog 
meat industry to human outbreaks of trichinellosis, chol-
era, and rabies; 
Whereas individuals involved in the dog meat industry are at 
an increased health risk for zoonotic diseases, such as ra-
bies, which can transfer from dogs to humans through in-
fectious material such as saliva; 
Whereas the spread of disease may be exacerbated by unsani-
tary conditions of slaughter and by the sale of dog and 
cat meat at open-air markets and restaurants; and 
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•HCON 59 IH 
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 countries with a dog or cat meat 
trade to adopt and enforce laws banning that 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 
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