Balinese government agencies have called for an end to the dog-meat trade in Bali, according to Animals Australia, which sponsored a summit last week to discuss the killing of dogs for human consumption in the popular tourist destination.

The summit follows the ABC’s exposure of a four-month-long Animals Australia investigation that revealed tourists were eating dog, which had been brutally caught and killed.

“All in attendance recognised that such dreadful cruelty to dogs has no place in Balinese culture and it couldn’t be allowed to continue,” Animals Australia’s (AA) director of investigations Lyn White said.

Representatives of Bali’s Veterinary Health Office, the Ministry for Agriculture, and the Balinese Tourism Board drafted recommendations to end the trade.

The recommendations included law enforcement to prevent the sale of dog meat, and an emphasis on educating the public about the trade and its potential for spreading diseases such as rabies.

“We are absolutely delighted with the recommendations from this summit,” Ms White said.

The recommendations are yet to be publicly endorsed by Bali’s Governor, Pastika.

Bali’s Bureau of Public Relations has not responded to the ABC’s request for comment.

In an email on July 4, a spokesperson for Bali’s Bureau of Public Relations said local health officials could not find “any restaurant selling dog meat”, despite evidence of the trade presented in the ABC’s report.

“We now have real hope that Bali’s unique dogs will be saved from this terrible cruelty. The recommendations from key officials were unanimous and so we now wait to hear the Governor’s response,” Ms White said.

Whilst circumspect, BAWA’S Ms Girardi said progress had been made.

“It is pleasing that both the issues and the need for change have gained recognition,” she said.

According to Animals Australia, more than 170,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Bali’s Governor to end the dog-meat trade in Bali.

– ABC