The dog meat trade in parts of Asia involves severe welfare harms including painful slaughter methods and theft of companion animals.
Dogs in the meat trade experience multiple severe welfare harms. Transport in overcrowded cages causes injury and asphyxiation. Slaughter without pre-stunning is painful and prolonged. High cortisol levels from fear and stress are measurable throughout. Dogs demonstrating fear behaviour during slaughter are believed to produce better-tasting meat in some traditions, incentivising prolonged suffering.