The Executive Director of the Institute of Community Sustainability, Eric Jerry Aidoo, was reportedly nearly lynched by some locals in the Northern Region during an anti-cat and dog meat campaign.
During a campaign aimed to educate communities on preserving dogs and cats as pets and to highlight the cruelty of killing and consuming them, some locals reportedly found the message offensive and attacked members of the organisation, forcing a temporary suspension of its nationwide sensitisation tour to review security measures.
According to the institution, the campaign is on hold, not cancelled, and reaffirmed its commitment to ending cruelty against pets.
In a statement issued, the Institute of Community Sustainability (ICS) stated, “While we are relieved that Chairman Jerry is safe, the severity of this targeted violence necessitates a pause to ensure the safety of our team and to reassess our security protocols.
”We want to state clearly that the tour is not cancelled. We have only put our activities on hold,” the statement said.
The statement further added, “We will return to the road very soon to continue fighting for our innocent dogs and cats that serve as loyal family members and vital security for households across the country.
“Cats and dogs are family, not food. We will not be silenced by intimidation when the lives of these innocent animals are at stake.
“The ICS is calling on all compassionate citizens to stand with us. We are actively seeking volunteers and advocates to join our upcoming tours in the following regions:
Volta Region
Northern Region
Eastern Region
Greater Accra Region
“Our goal is to educate the public and engage with communities to shift the perspective on the consumption and treatment of this innocent pet. If you are interested in joining our movement or joining our tour, please visit our head office or contact our official line for more information and upcoming schedules.”
Earlier, ICS called for an immediate ban on cat and dog meat consumption in Ghana.
According to the Institute of Community Sustainability (ICS), there are serious public health risks and ethical concerns with the consumption of Dog and Cat meat.
Eric Jerry Aidoo argued that cats and dogs are family companions who deserve protection, not the slaughterhouse.
ICS detailed that consuming cat and dog meat poses a grave threat to human health, noting that unregulated slaughter and handling can transmit diseases such as rabies, trichinellosis, and cholera.
They further called on the Ministry of Health to implement strict measures to totally ban slaughter for human consumption, and also the criminalisation of the trade and sale of cat and dog meat.
Eric Jerry Aidoo is quoted to have said, “They are family companions, providing emotional support to children and the elderly, and serve as security guides, protecting homes and businesses”.
“It is time for Ghana to align with global health standards and ethical practices. Cats and dogs are our family; they deserve protection, not the slaughterhouse,” Aidoo stated.
However, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, the Deputy Minister of Education and the Global President of the Dog Meat Eaters Association (DOGMEA), has justified the consumption of dog and cat meat.
Dr Apaak stressed that the consumption of dog and cat meat is their birthright and urged members to be proud of their heritage and culture.
According to Dr Apaak, they consume dog and cat meat because it is part of our culture, heritage and tradition.
Dr Apaak made these remarks while dismissing calls by the Institute of Community Sustainability to ban the consumption of these animals.
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The Executive Director of the Institute of Community Sustainability, Eric Jerry Aidoo, was reportedly nearly lynched by some locals in the Northern Region during an anti–dog and cat meat campaign.
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) March 24, 2026
The campaign aimed to educate communities on preserving dogs and cats as pets and… pic.twitter.com/eolCo6YHlM