To Ministry of Health and Social Welfare: End the Dog Meat Trade
To Ministry of Health and Social Welfare: End the Dog Meat Trade
The Issue
The Honourable Minister,
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare,
We, the undersigned, respectfully call on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to recognize the dog meat trade as an issue of urgent national concern and take meaningful steps to address it.
Across Nigeria, thousands of dogs are transported, sold, and slaughtered every year for human consumption. Despite the scale of this trade, it receives very little public attention and remains largely overlooked.
Many of these dogs are not bred specifically for meat. They include stray dogs, stolen pets, abandoned animals, and even beloved family companions. Every day, dogs disappear from communities and end up in slaughter markets with little or no oversight.
The trade is now operating on an industrial scale in some areas. If left unchecked, it threatens local dog populations—including Nigerian mixed-breed dogs (commonly called mutts), which are an important part of our communities and heritage.
This cruelty does not affect only mixed breeds. Our rescue, Romeo, showed that any dog can become a victim. His story reminds us that no breed is immune from this trade.
As rescuers, we witness the consequences firsthand. We have rescued dogs suffering from starvation, severe injuries, neglect, and advanced diseases such as mange. While we cannot save every dog, we believe meaningful action can prevent countless others from suffering.
We respectfully urge the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to:
Recognize the dog meat trade as an important animal welfare and public health issue.
Investigate the scale and operation of the trade across Nigeria.
Work with relevant government agencies, veterinary professionals, and animal welfare organizations to develop policies that improve animal welfare and public awareness
Promote stronger enforcement of existing laws where applicable and consider additional measures to address the trade.
Our goal is to collect 3,000 signatures before submitting this petition to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Every signature is a voice for dogs who cannot speak for themselves.
Please sign, share this petition, and help us bring this issue to the attention of the Nigerian government.
Together, we can create a future where dogs are protected, valued, and given the chance to live.
72
The Issue
The Honourable Minister,
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare,
We, the undersigned, respectfully call on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to recognize the dog meat trade as an issue of urgent national concern and take meaningful steps to address it.
Across Nigeria, thousands of dogs are transported, sold, and slaughtered every year for human consumption. Despite the scale of this trade, it receives very little public attention and remains largely overlooked.
Many of these dogs are not bred specifically for meat. They include stray dogs, stolen pets, abandoned animals, and even beloved family companions. Every day, dogs disappear from communities and end up in slaughter markets with little or no oversight.
The trade is now operating on an industrial scale in some areas. If left unchecked, it threatens local dog populations—including Nigerian mixed-breed dogs (commonly called mutts), which are an important part of our communities and heritage.
This cruelty does not affect only mixed breeds. Our rescue, Romeo, showed that any dog can become a victim. His story reminds us that no breed is immune from this trade.
As rescuers, we witness the consequences firsthand. We have rescued dogs suffering from starvation, severe injuries, neglect, and advanced diseases such as mange. While we cannot save every dog, we believe meaningful action can prevent countless others from suffering.
We respectfully urge the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to:
Recognize the dog meat trade as an important animal welfare and public health issue.
Investigate the scale and operation of the trade across Nigeria.
Work with relevant government agencies, veterinary professionals, and animal welfare organizations to develop policies that improve animal welfare and public awareness
Promote stronger enforcement of existing laws where applicable and consider additional measures to address the trade.
Our goal is to collect 3,000 signatures before submitting this petition to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Every signature is a voice for dogs who cannot speak for themselves.
Please sign, share this petition, and help us bring this issue to the attention of the Nigerian government.
Together, we can create a future where dogs are protected, valued, and given the chance to live.
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on 13 July 2026