Mission: Help End Cruelty in the Frog-Leg Industry

Posted by Calvin on April 15, 2024

PETA Asia investigators uncovered vicious cruelty in the frog-leg industry at several suppliers in Indonesia, the world’s top exporter of frog legs. 😡 We have some things for you to think about if you see frog legs on a menu.

Frogs are known for their webbed feet and exceptional leaps, but these fascinating, sensitive animals possess more than just impressive physical abilities. Many frog species are top-tier parents and have a range of personalities—from bold or guarded to relaxed or peaceful. 🐸🥰

Frogs don’t want to be taken from their homes and killed—yet nearly 322 tons of frog legs were shipped from Indonesia to the European Union from March to May 2023. To make these shipments possible, 6 million frogs were killed for their legs in just a couple of months. 😯

PETA Entity Investigations Expose Cruelty to Frogs

A PETA Asia video exposé showed workers snatching frogs from their homes in nature and stuffing them into extremely crowded sacks. The frogs may be kept in these sacks for two agonizing days, causing many of them to suffocate and die. 😰

The vid shows an employee sorting live and dead frogs and slamming the live ones onto the ground. Workers used knives to hack at frogs’ heads and feet.

Many frogs were still alive and moving when workers tore away their skin. Investigators noted that their headless bodies moved for minutes after they were slaughtered. 😱

PETA Asia investigators saw horrific cruelty to frogs in every randomly selected facility they visited in Indonesia.

Environmental Implications of Frog Legs

As if the cruelty frogs endure weren’t terrible enough, there are also several environmental consequences of this industry. Multiple sources have shown that frog populations in Indonesia have declined in recent decades. Conservationists see frogs as a “keystone” and an “indicator” species, which means they’re crucial to a healthy, functioning ecosystem. A decrease in their numbers raises a big ecological red flag. ⚠️ Removing frogs—such an important species—from their ecosystems is harmful to other animals.

Many frogs are protective parents who nurture their young, and these sensitive animals feel pain and fear—just like chickens, pigs, and other animals. Frogs don’t exist for humans, and eating their body parts is speciesist.

The cruelty and suffering involved in slaughtering animals for human consumption are the same whether for a frog’s leg, a chicken’s thigh, or a pig’s hind leg. 👏

Labels That Lie: Are You Eating Endangered Species?

Indonesian suppliers regularly sell two species of frogs—the fanged river frog (Limnonectes macrodon) and the crab-eating frog (Fejervarya cancrivora)—only as the latter, intentionally mislabeling some, even though suppliers that sell these animals admit that they can tell the species apart when packing them. 🤦

Violations of Laws

The frog-leg industry seems to be breaking Indonesian laws. Articles 66(1) and 66(2) of Indonesian Law No. 18 of 2009 have several requirements for treating animals humanely, yet these facilities keep straight-up ignoring the laws by operating with no regard for frogs’ pain and suffering. 😤

PETA Asia has taken a stand against this cruelty by filing a complaint with the relevant authorities, but we need your help. As conscientious consumers, we all hold the power to end this suffering—so let’s adopt a vegan lifestyle. Here’s how to earn 15 peta2 points from our Rewards Program for committing to go vegan:

1. Sign PETA’s pledge to go vegan and take a screenshot of the “Thank You” page.

2. Submit the screenshot for 15 peta2 points. (Heads-up: You’ll only get points once for taking this action.)