Posted: August 17th, 2009 - 2:05pm
Source: TVNZ

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND  -- A man who cooked his pet dog in a traditional Umu pit-barbecue will not be charged as it is legal to do so in New Zealand.
Paea Taufu, a Tongan-born man living in Auckland New Zealand was in the process of roasting his pitbull terrier-cross when SPCA inspectors arrived to investigate.
The inspectors were called by a concerned member of the public Sunday (August 16), but arrived too late for the animal.
Taufa and his wife were surprised by the inspectors arrival as dog meat is considered an acceptable fare in Tonga.
"Dog, horse, we eat it in Tonga. It's good food for us," explained Lupi Taufu, Paea's wife.
Under New Zealand's Animal Welfare act it is legal to kill a dog providing the slaughter is done quickly and painlessly.
Regardless of the law, the local Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) found the act disturbing.
"I find it quite disturbing that someone would kill a pet and then eat it. I'm not okay with that but unfortunately the law allows you to do it," SPCA Inspector Derek Haddy told media.
Taufu was not aware that he was doing something uncommon in New Zealand but indicated he would not kill another dog to avoid offending anyone in the future.