Effendi Rusli, Pekanbaru – Police in Pekanbaru, Riau, raided a slaughterhouse that had been illegally selling dog meat for at least two years, arresting two suspects on Jalan Harapan Raya in the Tenayan Raya District.
The suspects were identified as ATS, 63, and his 25-year-old son PTS, who acted as the butcher. During the raid, officers found five live dogs and two slaughtered dogs.
"They bought live dogs from residents for Rp 25,000 ($1.5) per kilogram and resold the meat for Rp75,000 per kilogram after slaughtering," said Bery Juana Putra, head of the Pekanbaru Police Criminal Investigation Unit, on Monday. "We are also investigating reports of missing dogs in the area."
According to police, the dog meat was sold both directly to customers and through a food stall the suspects operated in front of their home, where they slaughtered dogs almost daily.
Three dogs rescued from the site are now under the care of the Pekanbaru City Agriculture and Livestock Agency.
Dr. Rita, a veterinarian with the agency, warned that the practice posed serious health risks, particularly the transmission of rabies. "Rabies can spread through bites during slaughter or from contact between infected saliva and open wounds," she said. "If not handled properly, rabies transmission to humans can be fatal."
No rabies cases linked to dog meat consumption have been reported in Pekanbaru to date.
The suspects have been charged under Article 91, paragraph (1) of Law No. 41 of 2014 on Animal Husbandry and Animal Health, which carries a prison sentence of three to nine months.