Dog meat is eaten in some countries and certain breeds of dogs are raised on farms and slaughtered for their meat. Dog meat may be consumed as an alternative source of meat or for specific medicinal benefits attributed to various parts of a dog. Cultural attitudes, legal treatment, and history regarding eating dog meat vary from country to country. Very little statistical information is available on attitudes to the consumption of dog meat.

In some societies, the consumption of dog meat is viewed as part of their traditional or contemporary culture, while in others, the consumption of dog meat is generally viewed as taboo, such as most Western cultures. (However, some Westerners support the right to eat dog meat and accuse other Westerners who protest against dog eating in non-Western countries of cultural imperialism and intolerance. Joey Skaggs, for instance, organized a hoax in the United States in which a fictitious Korean restaurant asked animal shelters for unwanted dogs to be made into dog meat in order to expose the alleged intolerance, hypocrisy and racism of those opposed to dog-eating.[5][6]) Some cultures or individuals, including some non-Westerners, however, oppose the consumption of dog meat in non-Western countries.

They may perceive dogs as inherently emotional and friendly to humanity and/or argue that methods used in the slaughter of dogs for food are excessively cruel. In the Islamic and Jewish cultures, eating dogs is forbidden under Muslim dietary laws and Jewish laws of Kashrut. The raising and consumption of dog meat has been linked to the transmission of rabies to humans with two reported cases in China, one in Vietnam, and two deaths reported in the Philippines.