UPDATE 

As a nation of Animal Lovers, we recognise the importance of dogs and cats as our loyal companions who are family. But unfortunately lack Legal protection under the current Law does not protect or from being brutalised and eaten for human consumption in the UK.
 
We urge the UK government to take immediate urgent action and make the Consumption of Dog and Cat Meat in the UK illegal AND to sign the International Agreement calling for a Global Ban on the Dog and Cat Meat trade.
 
This horrific practice is not only deadly to Animals but also to the public health in form of various fatal rapidly contagious diseases such as rabies cholera and other deadly viruses which is contracted through the consumption of dogs and cats. I
 
It is estimated that 30 million Dogs and 10 million Cats are tortured and killed every year for the Inherently BARBARIC Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Southeast Asia alone. This is CRUELTY and is not only happening in China but across 8 continents with over 22 countries in Africa Asia Europe Switzerland involved.

 There should be NO tolerance for Animal cruelty and eating cats and dogs in the UK and like many harmful outdated practices the barbaric dog and cat meat trade needs to be Abolished. There can be no excuse and no trade in animal torturing and consumption of cats and dogs. We urge the British government for LEGAL protection for our Dogs and cats from such atrocities by Banning the Consumption of Dog and Cat meat in the UK .
 
This would send a strong message not only to the underground ruthless dog and cat meat dealers/traders in Europe but also to China Africa SE/Asia and any other countries that are involved in this unacceptable barbaric trade USA and Germany have already signed the International Agreement to Globally Ban the Dog and Cat Meat trade. The UK needs to join the global community against this Animal cruelty trade and immediately make the consumption of dog and cat meat ILLEGAL.
 

16th September The Justice Ministry Bureaucrat blocked the legal ban on the consumption of Dogs & Cats , there excuse was "fear of offending cultural sensitivities in the Far East"

An estimated 30 million dogs a year are slaughtered to be eaten, across China, the Philippines, Indonesia,  Korea, Nigeria , Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. They are slaughtered inhuman ways boiled to death, blow torched to remove fur and beaten to death . A misconception is they  believe the  more torture to the dog or cat  the more tender the meat. This is not true and simply barbaric. 

Links 

Former DEFRA Secretary Michael Gove ordered the move to get a legal ban in the summer despite the sickening practice being rare in the UK.

Campaigning Tory MP Giles Watling was told by the MoJ that one of the reasons it acted was that it would be “culturally insensitive” of the Government to dictate to other nations what they should eat.

Mr Watling statement“Dogs are our companion animals. We do not eat them, and that is a very important message to send to the rest of the world.

“It’s not culturally insensitive because we’re not telling them what to do – we’re just telling them what we do"

 
A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: “We currently have some of the strongest animal welfare laws in the world.

"The government is currently considering whether any changes are needed in this area in the UK and will set out any plans in due course.”

We believe a UK ban of consumption Dogs  & Cats would send a powerful message to South East Asian countries  and any other countries who partake in this brutal trade. The US passed a law last year to make the consumption of Dog illegal.

Foods and other products, such as alcohol, are generally regulated in the UK around their production and sale rather than their consumption. As a result, the regulation and licensing of food production and sale prevents dog meat being legally and commercially available for consumption in the UK.  However, there is no law explicitly banning the consumption of dog or cat meat. The Government’s position is that the sale of dog meat for human consumption is already illegal, and that there is no evidence of it being consumed in the UK.

Calls to ban consumption of dog meat

Campaigners including the World Dog Alliance, and several MPs, have called for the consumption of dog meat to be explicitly banned. Although there is an acceptance that it is not a major issue in this country, campaigners argue that it would send an important message to other countries.

In December 2018, the USA passed a ban on the practice through provisions in their farm Bill. When we have a country the size of the USA that recognises the issue and takes the steps legally to prevent it happening, I think it is time that we in the United Kingdom look at the same thing.

This bill prohibits persons from knowingly slaughtering a dog or cat for human consumption. In addition, the bill prohibits persons from knowingly transporting, possessing, buying, selling, or donating: (1) a dog or cat to be slaughtered for human consumption, or (2) dog or cat parts for human consumption.  
The Prohibition Act forms part of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 passed in December 2018, commonly referred to as the Farm Bill.[3]

During the presentation of a Ten-minute Rule Bill, Dog Meat (Consumption) (Offences), on 19 February 2018 Bill Wiggin set out the reasoning for proposing ban.  He highlighted the poor welfare standards in countries where dog meat is consumed, and moves by a number of other countries where there is no consumption of dog meat to introduce a ban:

It may seem extraordinary, but consuming dog meat is currently not illegal in the UK. Luckily, there is no evidence that dogs are eaten in the UK yet, but due to the vile way in which dogs are treated in China, I would like our country to join in setting an example to the world. China argues that, until we make it illegal, why should they?