At Diethelm we care for initiatives that are close to people’s heart and to ours. And are concerned not only for the welfare of our customers but also for welfare of the communities and animals in the destinations you visit. This is why we fully support FOUR PAWS and their work to end the dog and cat meat trade in Southeast Asia.

We are delighted to let our community know that, we are fully engaged with animal welfare and we have gladly signed FOUR PAW’s Tourism Industry Pledge to protect the millions of dogs and cats that fall victim to the dog and cat meat trade each year. But this is about so much more than only dogs and cats.

It broke our hearts to know that these dogs and cats are headed for a terrible end, but it also worried us to know that the trade poses a risk to the health of millions of people, including travellers to the region. This trade’s existence relies on unregulated slaughterhouses, cross-border transport of stolen animals, and inadequate hygiene practices. It has already been connected to outbreaks of rabies and cholera. By ending the dog and cat meat trade we can minimise the risk of another global disease outbreak.

What do we like most?

What we admire the most from FOUR PAWS’s work in South East Asia is their direct work with communities to end the trade:

• They work with local communities to change local behaviour towards dogs and cats and also lead workshops on how to take care of pets.
• They reduce the stray dog and cat population thanks to their free spay/neuter and vet care services.
• They rescue and rehome dogs and cats, giving them a second chance in life. Like dear cat Meow, who was found outside of a hotel in Hoi An, Vietnam. He had been caught in a trap set up by cat thieves for the cat meat trade but was able to escape and taken to a FOUR PAWS rescue center. You can read his rescue and rehoming story here.

And thanks to their hard work in the last years, Siem Reap (Cambodia) has become the first Cambodian province to ban dog meat in the country. Well done! You can read more here.

Does this convince you too? If it does… we invite you to join us!

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The RESCUE OF LUCKY (story by FOUR PAWS)

It is impossible to rescue all the animals in need but FOUR PAWS works with local rescue groups to save as many animals as possible from the trade and provide them with a loving home. This is just one of the stories that keep our hope and spirits up:

During a neutering project in the capital city of Phnom Penh, the team received a report of rampant dog meat trading involving multiple restaurants and traffickers. Our team left early in the morning and made the two-hour trek to Takeo Province, where we discovered a small non-descript road-side restaurant. At first glance, it looked like any other restaurant, but on closer inspection, we quickly learned its true identity. The restaurant was a place frequented by dog traders and thieves to sell their daily catch of stolen pet dogs. It also served as the main supplier of dog meat for other restaurants in the area.

Soon after arrival at the restaurant, the owner went out back and proceeded to kill one of the smaller dogs in the cage based on a customer’s order. She was cowering as she was grabbed and dragged out of the cage.

After witnessing this process, we knew we had to try to save the dogs. (Continue to see how we rescued Lucky)

Working together with travel businesses

If you are a travel business sending people to Southeast Asia, FOUR PAWS invites you to be a part of their campaign by adding your company’s name to the Tourism Industry Pledge, just as we did, and join this great cause. Find out more here.

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What more do FOUR PAWS do to protect animals?

We did not choose FOUR PAWS only for their work with companion animals, we trusted them because we know their work in animal welfare and how they fight for more humanity for animals; making sure we live in a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy and understanding.

This humanity is shown in each and every project:

The FOUR PAWS Sanctuaries, where rescued wild animals are taken care of and given a second chance of life in a species appropriate environment.

The Orangutan Forest School where Dr. Signe Preuschoft and team provide a natural living space for young orangutan orphans, who are taught essential forest survival skills through therapeutic and rehabilitative methods to ensure they can go back to the wild.

Let us not forget their work to change and improve conditions of farm animals such as cattle, ducks, poultry, pigs and sheep.

So many good causes and so many projects we would like to support.

What we do know is that we are happy to be working with an organisation that fights for greater humanity for animals. We hope you support them too.

FOUR PAWS cannot end this trade without your help.

Diethelm is calling for the support of other travel businesses that also wish to protect dogs and cats in Southeast Asia. Please join us!

If you would also like to make a donation to FOUR PAWS’ amazing work to protect dogs and cats, please visit their webpage: Protecting Millions.

Thank you for joining Diethelm Travel and FOUR PAWS. Together, we can protect millions of cats, dogs and people in Southeast Asia.