Taiwan becomes "first" Asian country to ban dog and cat meat

Taiwan is to ban dog and cat meat.

A law passed earlier this week forbids the “consumption, purchase or possession of dog and cat meat'”.

Those who disobey the new order could be fined around £6,400.

And those who repeatedly break the law could face going to jail for up to five years, a fine of more than £50,000 and will be named and shamed.

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The landmark bill is being hailed as the first of its kind in the region by politicians.

One, Wang Yu-min said it shows that “Taiwan is a society with advanced animal welfare”.

Elsewhere in Asia, Hong and China have banned the killing of ctas and dogs for meat but have, so far, not outlawed consumption.

The law comes into place following several high-profile animal cruelty incidents in Taiwan.

One video last year, which went viral, showed a group of marines hanging a stray puppy by its neck and then throwing its body into the sea.

The video caused such an outrage the country’s defence minister was forced to make a public apology.

Each year, some 80,000 dogs in Taiwan are abandoned and end up as strays.