A Cambodian province popular with tourists has banned the trade and slaughter of dogs for meat, saying canines are loyal and capable of protecting property and even serving in the military.
Siem Reap province, home to the ancient Angkor Wat ruins, is the first place to issue such a ban in Cambodia, where an estimated 3 million dogs a year are killed for meat.
Visited by more than two million tourists annually, Siem Reap has been identified as a dog meat hotspot responsible for large-scale sourcing and trafficking of Cambodian canines, according to animal welfare group FOUR PAWS.