CNN) -- A man who roasted his pet dog to enjoy as a meal with his family and friends escaped prosecution after authorities in New Zealand determined the animal was killed humanely.


Auckland SPCA officers found the charred body of a Staffordshire terrier cooking in this barbecue pit.

"We were in a dilemma at seeing something we were fairly upset about -- but being in a position of being able to do absolutely nothing about it," said Garth Halliday, of the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, on Monday.

The SPCA -- which investigates acts of animal cruelty and presses charges -- responded to the house in Mangere, south of Auckland.

There, officers found the charred body of a Staffordshire terrier cooking in a barbecue pit.

"They had had the dog for a while, but the man told us his wife was getting tired of the dog. He was becoming a pest," Halliday said.

"They decided to get rid of him. But instead of bringing him to the SPCA -- which we recommend -- they decided to have a meal, and cook and eat him."

The family is from Tonga where eating a dog is not uncommon, Halliday said.


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The incident occurred in February. For the next few months, the SPCA looked into whether the man ought to be charged for the killing. Over the weekend, the organization decided it couldn't because the animal had been killed humanely.

The man, Halliday said, struck the dog in the head with a hammer, rendering it unconscious. He then slit its throat.

"That is the normal way -- if one can use that word -- that animals are killed all over the world," Halliday said.

And under New Zealand's Animal Welfare Act, it is legal to kill an animal if it is slaughtered swiftly and painlessly.

Dr Malakai Koloamatangi, a Tongan cultural expert from the University of Canterbury, told CNN affiliate TVNZ that dog meat is a delicacy enjoyed mostly by young men in his homeland.

Still, the case infuriated and repulsed many New Zealanders.

"It's appalling," said Gracie Williams of Auckland. "As an animal lover, I am sickened. The law needs to be changed."

Auckland Mayor John Banks, an animal rights activist, told reporters that rather than a new law, what is needed is better education of local customs.

In the end, the SPCA closed the case without charges.

"We talked to the people. We told them that although it's not against the law, it is against the general culture of the country to actually kill and eat your own pet dog," Halliday said.

WTF!!

As a dog lover I am repulsed. However I logically can see little difference between this and going out to the pig pen, picking out a hog, and fixing it for dinner.

They had the dog for a while and she got tired of it? I think the husband might want to watch his back. Roasting is cheaper than obedience training.. Maybe we should use this as a murder defense. He's not guilty because he killed his victim humanely. JK

Here's the problem as long as we slaughter animals by the millions all over the world, how do we judge this guy for killing and eating a dog. Yes it's gross but we have a credibility problem.

wow I found this. I never knew


The eating of dog meat has a history in China which dates back thousands of years. Dog meat has long been thought by some to have medicinal properties, and is especially popular in winter months as it is believed to generate heat and promote bodily warmth.

In Taiwan,dog meat (Minnan: 狗肉 káu-bah) is known by the euphemism "fragrant meat" (香肉 xiāng ròu) in Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan. Eating dogs has never been commonplace in Taiwan, but it is particularly eaten in the winter months, especially black dogs, which are believed to help retain body warmth.

Dog meat is a delicacy popular in East Timor.[5]

Dogs are eaten in some states of Ghana. They are believed to have medicinal powers.[citation needed]

In Indonesia, the consumption of dog meat are usually associated with the Minahasa, a Christian ethnic group in northern Sulawesi, and Bataks of Northern Sumatra who consider dog meat to be a festive dish and usually reserve it for special occasions like weddings and Christmas.

Gaegogi literally means "dog meat" in Korean. Gaegogi, however, is often mistaken as the term for Korean soup made from dog meat, bosintang. Selling dog meat has been illegal in South Korea since 1984; however, dog farms still exist and some people still eat dog meat. The primary dog breed raised for meat, the nureongi (누렁이), differs from those breeds raised for pets which Koreans may keep in their homes

Dogs are eaten in some states of Nigeria including Cross River, Plateau, Taraba and Gombe of Nigeria. They are believed to have medicinal powers

Dog meat is barbecued in a umu in Tonga and considered a delicacy.[79]

The traditional culture surrounding the consumption of dog meat varied from tribe to tribe among the original inhabitants of North America, with some tribes relishing it as a delicacy and others (such as the Comanche) treating it as an abhorrent practice.[87] Native peoples of the Great Plains, such as the Sioux and Cheyenne, consumed it, but there was a concurrent religious taboo against the meat of wild canines.

Dog meat is consumed in Vietnam to varying degrees of acceptability, though it predominantly exists in the north. There are multiple dishes featuring dog meat, and they often include the head, feet and internal organs.

also the aztec indians used to eat fried dogs and fried cats....(i learned this when i was in highschool)

I see you have a nice snack right there.....

Don't even think about it, Mister.

I heard Michael Vick was there...

Many cultures eat dog..and other animals we would call pets. To them it is just food...

No different than the 4 H kid who raises a steer and then sells it to the highest bidder for hamburger at the state fair.

How terrible!!! I am repulsed. A dog is a pet and you are connected to it, they have emotions connected to their owners. Barbaric. I thought New Zealand was civilized, I hope they change the law soon.

Ummmmmmm MOTIVE! We kill animals out of need for food. Although they ate the dog thats not why they killed it. Assuming they actually ate it. Oh yea and assuming this really happend.