CMAC calls for action on dog meat videos
A TOP official of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) has asked the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts to take action against several Cambodian women who have produced video content of themselves eating and consuming dog meat.
CMAC director-general Heng Ratana has also renewed his calls for the authorities to consider drafting a law which would ban the consumption of canines, noting that many developed countries have done so.
Most notably, South Korea, a nation with a long tradition of the practice, passed a bill last month which will outlaw it from 2027. Those who violate the ban will face up to three years in prison, and fines of up to $22,000.
Ratana explained that he had seen a few recent TikTok videos about the cooking and consumption of dog meat.
“I am deeply saddened by the actions of these women. I believed that what they have done seriously affects the value of our beautiful Cambodian women, as well as the morals and traditions of our society. In addition, these videos could have a major impact on international tourism. These acts should be banned,” he said, in a February 2 social media post.
He explained that CMAC cares for
and loves dogs, treating them as loyal colleagues and important contributors to its humanitarian demining work.
“Dogs have saved many Cambodian lives. I would like to request that the authorities, especially the culture and women’s ministries, identify these women and educate them about the damage they are doing,” he said.
Ratana suggested that Cambodia’s next step should be to draft a national law banning the consumption of dog meat. He noted that Vietnam is currently
considering such a bill, in order to attract foreign tourists.
Regarding his request, Sum Mab, spokesman for the culture ministry, said on February 4 that the ministry had not yet received the details of the case, but would review the videos and take educational measures, if it deemed them necessary.
“I will have to obtain more information, until then, we have no official response,” he added.
Nhean Sochetra, head of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs’ General Department of Social Development, said she was also unable to offer an official response, as a ministerial working group was currently examining the case.
“This is related to social ethics. It has been sent to the Secretariat of the National Committee for Promotion of Social Morality, Women and Khmer Family Values, where it is being discussed,” she added.
In 2020, Siem Reap became the first and only province to ban the killing and trafficking of dogs.
Tea Kim Soth, director of the Siem Reap provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said the ban brought an end to the large scale commercial farming and trafficking of dogs for consumption, although he was aware that some families still carry out the practice in secret.
“When we identify someone who has breached the ban, we rarely punish them, but educate them about the health risks of consuming dog meat. Cambodia does not have a law prohibiting the eating of dogs, so we cannot enforce any specific penalties,” he explained.
He noted that while there is no law specific to dog meat, the hunting, trapping and killing of animals is contrary to the law on animal health and animal production, and can be prosecuted under articles 112, 113 and Article 115 of the law.