Police in India freed 26 dogs believed to be destined for the meat trade, according to The Hindu, after intercepting a truck carrying the animals packed into jute bags with their muzzles bound.
Here's what to know
The interception took place in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Oct. 28, 2026, according to The Hindu. Volunteer support for Assam Police came from Anaajoree, UCI Foundation, Just Be Friendly, and Humane World for Animals India.
Just Be Friendly's animal welfare care and resource center near Guwahati became the dogs' next destination after an initial stay at a Veterinary Department facility in Karbi Anglong.
For Just Be Friendly, also known as JBF, the rescue was part of a broader effort to stop the trade. Founder Shashanka Dutta said the organization had helped free 69 dogs believed to be destined for the meat trade in 2026, The Hindu reported.
More background
Research by Humane World for Animals India, or HWAI, estimates that each year, dogs numbering in the thousands are taken or stolen from Assam's streets and moved over state lines to places such as Nagaland and Mizoram.
Stronger monitoring and enforcement must address the capture and transportation of dogs as well as their slaughter, HWAI senior director Keren Nazareth urged.
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"What makes this rescue particularly significant is that, for the first time, multiple animal protection organisations have come together in a coordinated effort with the police to rescue the dogs. We hope this collaboration encourages stronger coordination and further interventions, so that more dogs can be protected from cruelty and exploitation."
What's being done?
"At the centre, they will receive veterinary treatment and ongoing care to support their recovery. Once they recover, local organisations will work to find them loving, permanent homes," HWAI said in a statement.
Dog meat vendors in Nagaland are being offered help finding work outside the trade through an alternative-income program run by HWAI and a local organization, according to The Hindu.
Dutta welcomed the police's involvement while emphasizing the challenges that remain.
"JBF has been working to end this trade for many years, and we are seeing the cruelty increasing, which is why it is heartening to see the Assam Police in action and stepping up to stop this illegal trade," he said.
Where can I learn more?
Like the teams in Assam, rescuers in South Korea and the United States have helped bring dogs to safety. These stories cover rescues from a meat farm, commercial breeders, and dangerous living conditions.
• In South Korea, rescuers saved 70 dogs from one last meat farm, ending a decade-long effort.
• In southern Missouri, 86 dogs were rescued from commercial breeders during Operation Eclipse.
• A Kentucky couple faced charges after police found 200-plus dogs in severe neglect, including one with a broken leg.
• In Houston, deputies found 45 Chihuahua mixes, many sick and hairless, inside one mobile home.
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