Assam Police rescues 24 dogs in Jorhat from being smuggled to Nagaland

The local breed dogs were tied with rope and sacks

The police in Assam’s Jorhat district rescued at least 24 dogs on Thursday night from the grasp of animal traffickers.

The dogs were being smuggled to Nagaland and were rescued from the Chaguri district area in Jorhat district Assam. 

The dogs, which were of local breed, were tied to ropes and sacks and were caged.

In this connection, one person named Doku Doley has been arrested. Reports have also stated that three other persons have been detained and the interrogation is underway.

“Police rescued 24 desi (local breed) dogs in Jorhat from being illegally smuggled to Nagaland. The dogs were tied with ropes and sacks. One person has been arrested,” said Johrat DSP Hazarika.

Meanwhile, a local NGO has sheltered the dogs.

The report further mentioned that it has been suspected that the stolen dogs were being smuggled to Nagaland ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Notably, the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High court, in November, stayed the Nagaland government’s blanket ban on the sale of dog meat in markets and restaurants.

The Nagaland government’s decision to ban dog meat came into effect on July 4. In a notification, signed by Chief Secretary Temjen Joy. After the government’s announcement, people from some sections of Nagaland took to social media to protest the ban citing it as an imposition to the state’s traditional culture.

Dog meat is considered a delicacy among certain communities of Nagaland and some other parts of the Northeast. It has been traditionally consumed in parts of the state for decades. People of Nagaland also consider dog meat to have medicinal properties.