Buzz
Would you ever consider eating your pet?
You'd probably say "no." But would you eat another animal of the same species as your pet? This time, the answer might still be "no." However, ask people from certain countries these very same questions, and you're more likely to hear "yes," particularly when it comes to the second question.
While some of us have grown so attached to animals as pets that we no longer view them as potential food, in other parts of the world, people have no hesitation about eating these very animals—even if they keep similar ones as pets. Here are some countries where citizens wouldn’t think twice about eating your beloved pet.
10. Dogs
While dogs are often referred to as man's best friend, that isn't the case for some residents of Switzerland, Vietnam, Nigeria, South Korea, Indonesia, Greenland, the Philippines, and China, where these animals are viewed merely as livestock.
In Switzerland, the sale and purchase of dog meat is illegal, but there is no law preventing people from slaughtering and consuming their own dogs. Several tribes around the Arctic and Antarctic also turn to their dogs as a food source when resources run low. In Vietnam, dog meat is a popular dish during ceremonies, and the demand has led to dogs being stolen from the streets and homes of nearby Thailand and smuggled into Vietnam.
If there's any place where being a dog is a dangerous fate, it’s South Korea. In this country, around 2.5 million dogs are slaughtered and consumed annually. Following closely is the Philippines, where over 290,000 dogs are killed for food each year.
The Philippines once allowed the consumption of dog meat, but the practice was banned in 1998 with the passing of the Animal Welfare Act. Despite this, the industry shifted underground, and it continues to thrive, now worth more than $4 million annually.
The Lychee and Dog Meat Festival, also known as the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, represents the peak of dog and cat consumption in China. Over 10,000 dogs and cats are consumed during the 10-day annual festival held in Guangxi province.
9. Monkeys
Monkey meat is referred to as “bushmeat” in parts of West and Central Africa, where it is a popular delicacy. In the Republic of the Congo, it's known as likaku and is commonly sold in both restaurants and street markets.
The demand for monkey meat is so high that many species are now facing the threat of extinction. One subspecies, the Miss Waldron’s red colobus, was thought to have been hunted to extinction, but there may still be a few remaining in Africa. This subspecies is now classified as “critically endangered.”
Not even gorillas, bonobos, and chimpanzees are safe from monkey meat hunters, as these animals are often viewed as viable alternatives to monkeys for consumption.
There are rumors that fresh monkey brains are considered a delicacy in China and Malaysia. Allegedly, the head of the monkey is cracked open, and the brain is eaten directly from the skull. While these claims have never been verified, it is possible they may have occurred in the past—and might still happen today. What is known for sure is that cooked monkey brains are consumed in various Far Eastern countries.
8. Cats
In countries like Vietnam, China, and Australia, cat meat is consumed. Although illegal, it is a delicacy in Vietnam, where it is called “little tiger.” Cats destined to become little tigers are typically drowned before being skinned, roasted, and seasoned. Afterward, they are chopped into pieces and consumed alongside bottles of beer.
The demand for cat meat in Vietnam has become so great that cats are now being stolen from their owners' homes in neighboring Thailand and Laos, then smuggled into Vietnam. Cats in Vietnam are no longer seen roaming freely. In fact, it is uncommon to find cats walking the streets of Hanoi, where pet owners have learned to lock their pets indoors to prevent them from becoming little tigers.
Vietnamese people only began consuming cats in the 20th century, when a series of wars left them starving and desperate enough to eat whatever they could find, including dogs, rats, and insects.
Thieves are also driving the cat meat trade in China, where over four million cats are consumed every year. One thief was apprehended with more than 500 stolen cats, which he had taken from their owners' homes. The man, known only as Sun, was selling the cats for a mere $4.40 each. Many Chinese citizens were alarmed when the story of the theft surfaced online, although some were more upset about the cats being stolen than about their consumption.
Felines are also part of the diet in Australia. The feral cats, responsible for damaging the country's wildlife, are often targeted for the cooking pot. Australians have little desire to let these animals roam free, so why not deal with them by eating them? Other feral creatures, like pigeons and camels, also make it to the table.
7. Horses
While most Americans are appalled by the notion of eating horse meat, it remains a delicacy in several countries, including neighboring Canada. In 2014, nearly 67,000 horses were slaughtered for their meat in Canada, though most of the meat was exported to the European Union, where horses are regarded as food-producing animals. In the Netherlands, horse meat is commonly used to prepare sandwiches.
Heading south, over 128,000 horses are slaughtered annually in Mexico. Like in Canada, the majority of the meat is exported. This time, it’s shipped to a variety of countries, including Egypt, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Russia, Vietnam, and Japan. In Japan, horse meat is featured in traditional dishes like basashi.
Interestingly, while horse meat is a major industry in Mexico, the locals are not particularly keen on eating it. However, it is common practice for butchers to pass off horse meat as beef. An investigation revealed that 10 percent of the beef sold in five Mexican cities was actually horse meat.
6. Lizards
For reptile enthusiasts, what is often considered a beloved pet is just another meal in parts of Asia and South America. Fried gecko is a popular delicacy in Indonesia, praised for its purported medicinal benefits. It’s also consumed in China, where it’s believed to shrink tumors. Geckos are said to taste like a cross between chicken and fish.
Iguanas are also not spared from being cooked in El Salvador, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Many of these lizards roam the streets and forests of Puerto Rico, where they were first introduced as pets in the 1970s.
Some of these iguanas escaped into the wild, and with their rapid reproduction, their numbers quickly grew beyond the human population in Puerto Rico. Today, iguanas outnumber people on the island. To keep their population under control, Puerto Ricans have started eating them. The meat is described as tasting like chicken, only better.
5. Snakes
The Chinese have enjoyed snake soup since as early as the third century BC. Originally a luxury food reserved for the elite, it became a common dish across China by the 1700s. The soup is believed to alleviate arthritis, enhance skin health, and improve blood circulation. Its warming properties are also thought to help combat the winter chill, which is why it’s often consumed during colder months.
Today, snake soup is considered a delicacy in Hong Kong, where it is known as se gang. A typical serving includes up to five different kinds of snakes, boiled together with pork bones and chicken. Mushrooms, ginger, chrysanthemum leaves, and lemongrass are added for flavor. The meat is sometimes fried or used in casseroles. The texture and taste are similar to chicken, though slightly tougher.
Restaurants in Hong Kong specializing in snakes are called se wong (“snake king”). However, these establishments are becoming rare, as the low wages in the industry make it difficult to retain skilled chefs and snake handlers, essential for preparing this unique delicacy.
4. Mice
Roasted mice are popular roadside snacks in Zimbabwe and Malawi. In Zimbabwe, they are captured using traps set in cornfields. Once trapped, the mice are roasted, seasoned with salt, and sold to commuters traveling to nearby South Africa.
In Malawi, they are referred to as mbewa, or roasted field mice. Unlike Zimbabwe, the rodents are not trapped but are instead caught by children who disturb the corn husks, causing the mice to flee. These mice are then killed with sticks.
In some instances, the children set fire to the entrance of the mice nests, killing any mice attempting to escape. The mice are then roasted, seasoned with salt and pepper, and consumed whole, bones and all.
3. Rabbits
Rabbits rank as the third most popular mammal kept as pets in the United States. They were once raised as livestock, especially during World War II, but this practice diminished with the rise of industrial farming. As a result, their potential as a food source has sparked some controversy in the US.
In countries like Cyprus, Italy, Malta, France, and China, however, rabbits are just another source of meat. China, the world's largest producer, was responsible for producing 690,000 tons of rabbit meat in 2010, with 10,000 tons being exported to countries including Belgium, Germany, and the US.
Rabbit meat is also widely consumed in the European Union, where approximately 326 million rabbits are slaughtered annually. In the United States, it has recently been promoted as a healthier alternative to chicken and beef. However, many Americans remain divided over whether rabbits should continue to be seen as pets or treated as livestock.
2. Turtles
Turtle soup gained immense popularity in the United States during the 1860s, even being served at President Abraham Lincoln's second inauguration in 1865. President William Howard Taft was so fond of the dish that he selected the White House chef based on their ability to prepare it. In the Southern United States, turtle soup parties, known as “turtle frolics,” were held by wealthy individuals.
The high cost of turtle soup led to the creation of mock turtle soup, which replaced turtle meat with calf's head. Despite being cheaper, mock turtle soup was still considered a luxurious dish. It was even served at Lincoln's first inauguration, though it didn’t match the price tag of authentic turtle soup.
By the 1960s, both versions of turtle soup had almost disappeared from the American culinary scene. However, mock turtle soup is still available in Cincinnati today, albeit with ground beef instead of the traditional meat.
In China, turtle soup is thought to enhance blood circulation, improve kidney function, alleviate menstrual pain, and even extend life expectancy. Surprisingly, many of the turtles used in Chinese turtle soup come from the United States. Between 2004 and 2006, around 600,000 turtles were killed for human consumption in Arkansas, and over 106,000 kilograms (235,000 lbs) of turtles were harvested in Iowa in 2007.
This is causing significant issues in the US, as turtles are being harvested at a rate faster than they can reproduce. Protected species such as the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temmickii) are being caught too, as they are often mistaken for the unprotected common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina).
1. Rats
Rats are a popular dish in the Adi tribe of India. They don't have a preference for the type, as any rat—whether it’s a typical house rat or one from the forests—will do. The Adi people even host an annual celebration called Unying-Aran, where rat-based dishes are the main event. These rats are often roasted or turned into bule-bulak oying stew, which includes the animal’s entrails, tail, legs, and even its fetus.
Rats are also a part of the diet for the Dalit caste in India, one of the country’s most impoverished groups. Often referred to as “rat eaters,” members of this caste are known to tend to the farms of wealthier individuals in exchange for hunting down any rats. These rodents are usually smoked and eaten whole, with a flavor that resembles quail or chicken.
In countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Ghana, China, Vietnam, Nigeria, and Cameroon, rats are consumed as food. The African giant rat is especially popular in Nigeria, while in Cameroon, the cane rat—about the size of a small dog—is the favored variety. The cane rat is more costly than chicken and is said to have a pork-like flavor, but with a much tenderer texture.
