ICS HEADS TO SUPREME COURT TO STOP THE CONSUMPTION OF DOG AND CAT MEAT

The Institute of Community Sustainability (ICS) is taking Ghana’s government to the Supreme Court in a bid to compel the enforcement of laws it says prohibit the slaughter, sale and consumption of dogs and cats, in a case that could reshape the country’s legal approach to companion animal protection.

The environmental advocacy organisation said it will ask the apex court to enforce Section 303 of the Criminal Offences Act, arguing that the practice is unlawful and presents significant public health and animal welfare risks. ICS maintains that dogs and cats should be recognised as companion animals rather than livestock for human consumption.

The group contends that the absence of regulated breeding, slaughtering and veterinary inspection systems for dogs and cats heightens the risk of zoonotic diseases, including rabies, while also encouraging the theft and illegal trade of household pets. Unlike cattle, goats, poultry and other recognised livestock, Ghana has no formal legal framework governing the farming of dogs or cats for food, it noted.

Executive Director Eric Jerry Aidoo said the legal challenge seeks to protect both public health and companion animals, arguing that the widespread theft and killing of pets has become an urgent concern requiring judicial intervention.

ICS said the lawsuit follows years of public education campaigns and engagement with state institutions aimed at strengthening animal welfare protections. The organisation is now seeking a definitive interpretation from the Supreme Court that would require authorities to enforce existing criminal laws against the trade.

A ruling in favour of ICS could significantly tighten enforcement against the slaughter, sale and consumption of dog and cat meat, while providing legal clarity on the status of companion animals under Ghanaian law and potentially shaping future animal welfare policy.