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According to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), when dog meat sellers visited the dog market that was hitherto usually filled, there were other animals such as sheep and goats for sale but they could hardly get any dog to buy.
Dada Bee, a popular dog meat seller at Sandema who expressed worry about the situation, told the GNA: “I went to the dog market this morning at about 0900hours only to realise there was only one dog in the market for sale.
“We were six dog meat sellers in the market at the time, all bargaining to buy the dog. I was able to buy it because I offered to pay GH¢185.00 for what I would have ordinarily bought for GH¢140.00.”
He said the shortage has left him with no other option but to increase the price of dog meat.
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“I used to sell the thigh of the dog for GH¢25.00, but now, I am selling it for GH¢30.00, the neck which I used to sell for GH¢18.00 or GH¢20.00, now goes for GH¢25.00.
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“Though some customers will initially complain about the prices today when I tell them the situation, they understand and buy at the price I offer,” Dada Bee said.
Dada Bee and his colleague dog meat sellers who could not figure out the exact cause of the shortage jokingly told the GNA “the people have eaten all the dogs”.
The dog meat sellers usually move from home to home to buy the animals and also travel to other markets such as the Fumbisi, Yagba and Kubori markets to buy.
“For the past week, all the markets could not give us the numbers we usually buy so the demand for the meat has gone higher than we can supply”, they said.
Abdulai Arimeyaw, a Butcher, told the GNA that “I deal in sheep and goats, but we were all surprised this morning when we came and realised the shortage of dogs in the market.”
According to him, there was a general shortage of all animals in the market, which led to a price increase.
“Now unless you have GH¢200.00 or more, you will not get a sizeable goat or sheep, which used to be sold at GH¢ 150.00 to buy. I came and couldn’t buy any, and so I am returning home.”
One of Dada Bee’s customers expressed disappointment to the GNA as he was seated at the joint to buy his favourite part of the dog meat while it was on fire.
“I rushed here from my office to buy the meat and return. I just heard this morning that there was a shortage of dogs in town.
“But despite the shortage, I knew Dada Bee will not disappoint his customers. The only problem is that the shortage will affect us because the prices of the meat will definitely go up,” he said.