Would you eat your pet?
10 Dogs
Dogs might be man’s best friend in many places, but not for residents of Switzerland, Vietnam, Nigeria, South Korea, Indonesia, Greenland, the Philippines, and China, where they’re viewed merely as livestock.
Swiss law bans the commercial trade of dog meat, yet there’s no prohibition on individuals slaughtering and eating their own dogs. In some Arctic and Antarctic tribes, dogs become a fallback food when supplies run short. Vietnam treats dog meat as a ceremonial staple, and the demand is so intense that poachers snatch dogs from Thai and Thai‑border homes to smuggle them across the border.
South Korea tops the list, with an estimated 2.5 million dogs slaughtered annually. Hot on its heels, the Philippines sees over 290,000 dogs killed each year for consumption. Though the Philippines outlawed dog meat in 1998, the trade simply slipped underground, now generating more than $4 million annually.
The infamous Yulin (sometimes called the Lychee) Dog Meat Festival in China showcases the peak of this practice, with over 10,000 dogs and cats devoured during its ten‑day run in Guangxi province.
9 Monkeys
In West and Central Africa, monkey meat is known as “bushmeat.” In the Republic of the Congo, it’s called likaku and is commonly sold in restaurants and roadside stalls.
Intense hunting pressure has pushed several monkey species to the brink of extinction. The Miss Waldron’s red colobus, once thought extinct, may still cling to survival, now classified as critically endangered.
Great apes such as gorillas, bonobos, and chimpanzees are also targeted, as they serve as alternative sources of monkey meat for hungry consumers.
Rumors persist that fresh monkey brains are a delicacy in China and Malaysia, with claims of brains being scooped straight from split skulls. While these reports lack solid verification, it is known that cooked monkey brains do appear on menus in parts of the Far East.
8 Cats
Cat meat finds its way onto plates in Vietnam, China, and even Australia. In Vietnam, the illegal delicacy dubbed “little tiger” involves drowning cats, then skinning, roasting, and seasoning them before washing them down with beer.
The demand is so fierce that cats are stolen from owners in Thailand and Laos, then smuggled into Vietnam. Hanoi’s streets rarely see free‑roaming cats, as owners keep them locked away to avoid becoming “little tigers.”
Vietnam’s cat‑eating habit dates back to the 20th‑century wars that forced people to subsist on whatever animals were available, including dogs, rats, and insects.
In China, a cat‑theft ring once netted over 500 felines, each sold for roughly $4.40. The public outcry focused more on the theft than the consumption, yet the cat meat market persists with an estimated four million cats eaten yearly.
Australia tackles its feral cat problem by turning these invasive predators into food, joining the menu of pigeons, camels, and other unwanted wildlife.
7 Horses
While many Americans recoil at the idea, horse meat is a celebrated dish in several nations, Canada included. In 2014, Canada slaughtered nearly 67,000 horses, most of which were exported to the EU, where horses are classified as food‑producing animals. The Netherlands even uses horse meat as a sandwich staple.
South of the border, Mexico processes over 128,000 horses each year, primarily for export to Egypt, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Russia, Vietnam, and Japan, where the delicacy basashi features prominently.
Curiously, many Mexican consumers are unaware they’re eating horse meat; investigations revealed that about 10 % of beef sold in five Mexican cities was actually horse meat.
6 Lizards
Reptile enthusiasts may be shocked to learn that beloved pets like geckos and iguanas end up on plates across Asia and South America. In Indonesia, fried gecko is prized for its alleged medicinal virtues, while Chinese folklore claims it can shrink tumors. Its flavor is described as a cross between chicken and fish.
Iguanas become culinary fare in El Salvador, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, iguanas were originally introduced as pets in the 1970s, escaped into the wild, and reproduced so prolifically that they now outnumber humans. To curb this surge, locals harvest and cook them, noting the meat tastes like chicken—only better.
5 Snakes
Snake soup has slithered through Chinese cuisine since the 3rd century BC, originally a luxury for the elite before becoming a widespread delicacy by the 1700s. Believed to cure arthritis, improve skin, and boost circulation, the warming broth is a winter favorite.
Today, Hong Kong’s “se gang” (snake soup) blends up to five snake species with pork bones, chicken, mushrooms, ginger, chrysanthemum leaves, and lemongrass. The meat’s texture resembles chicken but is slightly tougher, and it can also be fried or baked into casseroles.
Restaurants specializing in snake dishes, known as “se wong” (snake king), are dwindling as low wages fail to retain the skilled chefs and handlers needed for this niche cuisine.
4 Mice
In Zimbabwe and Malawi, roasted mice serve as roadside snacks. Zimbabwean vendors set traps in cornfields, capture the rodents, then roast and salt them for commuters heading toward South Africa.
Malawian “mbewa” (roasted field mice) are harvested without traps. Children disturb corn husks, prompting hidden mice to flee, only to be struck down with sticks. Occasionally, youngsters set fire to mouse burrow entrances, killing any escaping rodents.
The captured mice are then roasted, salted, and peppered, eaten whole—including bones—providing a crunchy, protein‑rich bite.
3 Rats
Among India’s Adi tribe, rats are a culinary treasure. Any rat type—from house‑bound to forest‑dwelling—makes the cut, featured in the annual Unying‑Aran festival where they’re roasted or stewed in “bule‑bulak oying,” a broth brimming with entrails, tail, legs, and even fetus.
The Dalit caste, historically the poorest in India, also relies on rats, earning them the moniker “rat eaters.” They typically smoke the rodents, which are said to taste like quail or chicken.
Rats appear on menus across Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Ghana, China, Vietnam, Nigeria, and Cameroon. In Nigeria, the African giant rat is favored; in Cameroon, the sizable cane rat—about the size of a small dog—commands a price higher than chicken and is praised for its pork‑like tenderness.
2 Turtles
Turtle soup once graced American tables in the 1860s, even featuring at President Abraham Lincoln’s second inauguration in 1865. President William Howard Taft famously chose the White House chef for his skill in crafting the broth. Wealthy Southerners hosted lavish “turtle frolics” to celebrate the dish.
The soup’s opulence birthed “mock turtle soup,” substituting a calf’s head for the turtle. This version appeared at Lincoln’s first inauguration and, while cheaper, remained a costly delicacy.
By the 1960s, both genuine and mock turtle soups had largely vanished from U.S. menus, though Cincinnati still offers a beef‑based mock version today.
In China, turtle soup is touted for enhancing blood flow, kidney health, easing menstrual pain, and extending lifespan. Ironically, many of the turtles used in Chinese preparations are sourced from the United States, with Arkansas alone seeing roughly 600,000 turtles harvested between 2004‑2006, and Iowa reporting over 106,000 kg in 2007.
This demand threatens turtle populations, as harvest rates outpace reproduction. Even protected species like the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temmickii) fall victim, often mistaken for the unprotected common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina).
1 Rabbits
Rabbits rank as the third‑most common pet in the United States. Historically, they doubled as livestock during World War II, a practice that faded with industrial farming’s rise. Their re‑emergence as a food source sparks debate across the nation.
Beyond the U.S., rabbits are a staple in Cyprus, Italy, Malta, France, and China. In 2010, China— the world’s leading rabbit‑meat producer—generated 690,000 tons, exporting 10,000 tons to markets like Belgium, Germany, and the United States.
The European Union slaughters roughly 326 million rabbits annually. In the U.S., rabbit meat is marketed as a lean alternative to chicken and beef, yet public opinion remains split between viewing rabbits as cherished companions or simply another protein source.