Fact Check: Viral video showing dogs in a truck makes a false claim, it is from Indonesia
Following complaints of food adulteration, unhygienic practices, and on poor quality of food being served at several hotels, restaurants, and bakeries in Hyderabad, the Taskforce team of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, along with GHMC Food safety officers, held a series of inspections in May 2024.
Dog meat
Following complaints of food adulteration, unhygienic practices, and on poor quality of food being served at several hotels, restaurants, and bakeries in Hyderabad, the Taskforce team of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, along with GHMC Food safety officers, held a series of inspections in May 2024. The officials found several improper storage practices at various restaurants.
After these series of inspections, a video showing a truck full of dogs is in circulation with the claim that the animals are being taken to the star hotels to be used as substitutes for meat. There is a suggestion asking foodies not to eat meat in the star hotels.
The claim in Telugu reads: “హైదరాబాదులో స్టార్ హోటల్స్ మాంసాహారంగా సప్లై చేస్తున్న కుక్కలు దయచేసి ఎవరూ హోటల్లో బిర్యాని తినవద్దు”. When translated, it reads: “Dogs being supplied as meat to star hotels in Hyderabad, please do not eat biryani in hotels”
Fact Check:
The claim is False. The video is an old one and is from Indonesia.
An X (Twitter) handle shared a few images showing the rescue of 53 dogs. One of the images matches with the screenshots from the viral video. The video is shared with the caption “53 #dogs rescued last minute before slaughter in #Indonesia by local #police. The animals were tied up in sacks, muzzles bound tight with ropes or cables, eyes wide open with fear. We will keep you posted on what will happen next. Photo copyright: Dog Meat Free Indonesia”
Taking a cue from the caption, when we used the keywords, we found an article published on humanesociety.org, with the title ‘Police bust illegal slaughterhouse to save 53 terrified dogs’.
The article states that the dogs were discovered packed into the transport truck, each tied up to the neck in a sack, and many of them had their mouths bound shut. Humane Society International was on the ground to help save the dogs together with other members of the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition that campaigns for a ban on the dog and cat meat trades. Rescuers soothed the whimpering dogs and provided them with veterinary care after their long and harrowing journey packed on a truck and their close brush with death.
Hence, the viral video showing a truck full of dogs being transported is not from Hyderabad, it is an old video from Indonesia when 53 dogs were rescued from being slaughtered. The claim is False.