The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is investigating claims that dog meat was allegedly being offered for sale to consumers in Singapore through Facebook.
The allegations surfaced after screenshots of several Facebook listings were shared in the Dogs Singapore Facebook group earlier this week. The original post has since been deleted, but screenshots of the alleged listings continue to circulate online.
The listings reportedly appeared in a Facebook group known as “Chợ Việt Tại Singapore”, or “Vietnamese marketplace in Singapore”, which has more than 118,000 members.
Facebook listings allegedly advertised different cuts of meat
According to the screenshots shared online, several types of meat were allegedly advertised through the group.
The posts reportedly used the phrase “vitamin Gâu Gâu”. The term is understood to be a Vietnamese euphemism referring to dog meat.
An anonymous individual who shared the screenshots claimed that the meat had allegedly been brought into Singapore illegally before being distributed through local contacts. They also alleged that multiple cloned Facebook accounts were being used to communicate with potential buyers and arrange transactions.
The individual claimed to have collected information relating to the alleged transactions and said they intended to submit the material to the relevant authorities, including the SFA and Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS).
They also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious accounts rather than engaging with the sellers directly.
Logistics company denies involvement in alleged sales
One Singapore logistics company named in the allegations has publicly denied any involvement in the matter.
Faith Logistics said in a Facebook statement on Thursday (24 Sept) that claims linking the company to the alleged sale of dog meat were “completely untrue”.
The company said it does not sell, support or condone the trading of dog meat.
It also said the allegations were particularly upsetting because the person behind the company account described themselves as a dog lover.
Faith Logistics added that it did not wish to speculate about the source of the allegations, while urging members of the public to verify information before sharing it online.
The company said it was prepared to cooperate with the authorities and provide information required to clarify the matter.
SFA says it has not approved any source of dog meat
The SFA told The Straits Times that it has not approved any source of dog meat for import into Singapore.
The agency also reiterated that food imported into Singapore must comply with its food safety and import requirements.
It is currently investigating the claims surrounding the alleged online listings.
The SFA urged food importers and retailers to ensure that any food products brought into Singapore for commercial sale comply with the relevant requirements and are safe for consumption.
At this stage, the allegations circulating online have not established that the meat shown in the photographs was actually dog meat, nor have they established who was responsible for the listings. Investigations by the authorities are ongoing.
Members of the public who encounter suspicious food listings or suspected illegal food imports should report the matter to the relevant authorities rather than attempting to investigate or confront sellers themselves.