There has been controversy as to whether Germany has legislated against the consumption of dog and cat meat. The legal provisions do not explicitly prohibit the consumption of dogs and cats, but the sale of dog and cat meat is explicitly prohibited. The relevant law was enacted in 1986, and in some parts of Germany, horse meat is consumed because of cultural traditions. However, the consumption of dogs and cats was a moral issue for Germans and no one would do it, so no one paid attention to this ‘gray area’ at the time.

In 1984, then German Federal Chancellor, Helmut Kohl visited China. At the time, Germany was trading with Asian countries and had signed bilateral agreements with China. In 1986, the Congress passed legislation to ban the sale of dog and cat meat in order to prevent its import from Asia.

The World Dog Alliance (WDA) believes that just because Germans do not eat dogs and cats does not mean that the law should be left ambiguous. The International Agreement to Prohibit the Eating of Dogs and Cats, initiated by WDA’s Founder, Genlin, provides clear legal provisions for countries to make it clear that the consumption of dogs and cats is not permitted by law. The WDA has already started work in Germany to promote the International Agreement and has secured the support of several Congressmen of the ruling parties.