Egha Mahdavickia, Td, Jakarta – The Animal Defenders Indonesia (ADI) on Friday filed a subpoena against Jakarta-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya over dog meat trade at one of its markets, Pasar Senen (Senen Market). ADI Chairperson Doni Herdaru Tona insisted that the Consumers Protection Law, Food Law, and Agriculture Law prohibits this activity.
The animal watchdog came to this conclusion after conducting an investigation on September 7 at the market and found dog meat was traded at the market's Block III facility.
In a written statement on September 10, Doni said trading dog meat can potentially spread rabies in the capital city. The Jakarta government claims the city has been free from rabies since 2004.
According to the ADI report, the dog meat was sent from outside regions such as from West Java; Sukabumi, Tasik, Garut, Pangandaran, Pelabuhan Ratu, and Ciamis, where cases of rabies can still be found.
"The oversight of dog meat trade is certainly a threat to potentially letting rabies into the capital city," the animal activist wrote.
Animal Defenders Indonesia urged PD Pasar Jaya management to stop the practice as the trade was done by markets overseen by the firm.
Prior to this, the group also filed subpoenas to four notable food delivery platforms for the same issue such as GoFood, GrabFood, ShopeeFood, and Travel Eats. Out of the four, only Traveloka provided an official response to the subpoena.