American Restaurant Allowed to Sell Dog Meat-Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
An American restaurant called Puchow de Manila Eatery and Fine Dining has been granted permission to sell dog meat.
The Truth:
A fake news website started this hoax.
The rumor that a Los Angeles-based restaurant had been given permission to sell dog meat started with the fake news website TheNewsNerd. In a story that appeared under the headline, “American Restaurant Granted Permission to Sell Dog Meat,” the website reported:
A Los Angeles restaurant has been granted permission to consume and sell dog meat. A Filipino group successfully argued that the banning of the consumption of dog meat violated their religious rights.
Puchow de Manila Eatery and Fine Dining has been granted provisional permission to sell and consume dog meat, while the Supreme Court decides if their case has merit. The restaurant is allowed to slaughter up to 3 dogs per day, with the stipulation that they must be put down humanely. The World Animal Protection agency called the decision “shocking,” and vowed to fight tooth and nail to ensure this act is not allowed to continue.
The story was quickly shared more than 74,000 times on social media sites. It sparked concerns about animal cruelty from people who were believe it was true, but it isn’t.
According to TheNewsNerd disclaimer:
The stories posted on The News Nerd are for entertainment purposes only. The stories may mimic articles found in the headlines, but rest assured they are purely satirical.
As it turns out, TheNewsNerd isn’t the only place to find false reports about dog meat being sold in restaurants, either. Another report that appeared on an “entertainment” website claimed that Chinese restaurants in New York were now allowed to sell dog meat.
That story was shared more than 20,000 times on social media sites and generated hundreds of comments from angry readers.