Four Paws and Tourism Industry Unite to Combat Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Southeast Asia
New initiative aims to leverage tourism to end controversial trade and promote animal welfare.
Four Paws, an international animal welfare organization, has launched a significant campaign to involve the global tourism industry in ending the dog and cat meat trade in Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. This initiative seeks to utilize the influential power of international tourism to foster policy changes in countries heavily reliant on tourism revenue, particularly in the wake of the pandemic's impact on travel.
The campaign emphasizes the risks associated with the dog and cat meat trade, including potential health threats to both locals and tourists and the challenge it poses in controlling rabies and other zoonotic diseases. Four Paws has highlighted the negative impact this trade can have on international tourism, as witnessing or learning about such practices can deeply distress travelers, potentially deterring them from visiting regions where the trade is prevalent.
Tourism businesses are being encouraged to actively participate in this campaign by educating travelers about the ethical and health implications of the trade and providing a reporting tool to document and act against these practices. This collaborative effort between Four Paws and the tourism sector aims to build community immunity against zoonotic diseases and shift cultural perceptions that perpetuate the trade.
Steve Lidgey, General Manager of Siem Reap-based Travel Asia a la Carte, expressed his support for the initiative, noting that the concept of eating dogs and cats is abhorrent to many international visitors, who often consider these animals as part of their families.
The campaign aligns with sustainable tourism practices and aims to fulfill multiple Sustainable Development Goals by promoting responsible consumption and production, ensuring healthy lives, supporting decent work and economic growth, and fostering partnerships to achieve these goals.
Through strategic collaboration with local communities, tourism operators, and international travelers, Four Paws is working to end a trade that not only harms animals but also potentially jeopardizes the health and safety of people in Southeast Asia and beyond.
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The campaign emphasizes the risks associated with the dog and cat meat trade, including potential health threats to both locals and tourists and the challenge it poses in controlling rabies and other zoonotic diseases. Four Paws has highlighted the negative impact this trade can have on international tourism, as witnessing or learning about such practices can deeply distress travelers, potentially deterring them from visiting regions where the trade is prevalent.
Tourism businesses are being encouraged to actively participate in this campaign by educating travelers about the ethical and health implications of the trade and providing a reporting tool to document and act against these practices. This collaborative effort between Four Paws and the tourism sector aims to build community immunity against zoonotic diseases and shift cultural perceptions that perpetuate the trade.
Steve Lidgey, General Manager of Siem Reap-based Travel Asia a la Carte, expressed his support for the initiative, noting that the concept of eating dogs and cats is abhorrent to many international visitors, who often consider these animals as part of their families.
The campaign aligns with sustainable tourism practices and aims to fulfill multiple Sustainable Development Goals by promoting responsible consumption and production, ensuring healthy lives, supporting decent work and economic growth, and fostering partnerships to achieve these goals.
Through strategic collaboration with local communities, tourism operators, and international travelers, Four Paws is working to end a trade that not only harms animals but also potentially jeopardizes the health and safety of people in Southeast Asia and beyond.
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Translation:
Translated by AI
