RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), Dwita Ria Gunadi, has urged the Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) to tighten oversight of the dog trade suspected of being sold for consumption. She believes this practice not only raises animal welfare concerns but also potentially increases the risk of rabies transmission.

Dwita, of President Prabowo Subianto-led Gerindra Party, revealed that her team recently discovered a truck transporting dogs in Surakarta, Central Java. As the animals were confined to cramped cages, causing stress and risk of deteriorating health, she further stated that examinations showed three dogs tested positive for rabies.

"Based on field findings in the city of Solo (Surakarta), there was a truckload of dogs ready to be traded, but three of them were found to be positive for rabies," he said in a hearing in Jakarta on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, as quoted by the DPR website.

She also highlighted the lack of health certificates that traders could show. Furthermore, the origins of the dogs being traded were unclear, potentially increasing the risk of disease transmission.

Therefore, Dwita requested that the agency issue a circular to tighten oversight of the dog trade. According to her, this issue is not only related to animal protection but also concerns public health.

The lawmaker also encouraged Barantin to strengthen coordination with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the National Police to improve supervision, especially in areas that still have a tradition of consuming dog meat.

"The Quarantine Agency must also collaborate with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the local police to address this issue. Many regions have traditionally practiced dog meat consumption, requiring close monitoring of disease transmission," he concluded.