In a landmark step for animal welfare, Taiwan has outlawed the consumption of dog and cat meat—the first country in Asia to do so.

Anyone who buys or eats the meat can be fined up to $8,200. Back in 1998 Taiwan made it illegal to slaughter dogs and cats and sell their meat, but an underground commercial market persisted. And now Taiwan has now doubled down on punishment: Those who cause deliberate harm to a cat or dog can be fined up to $65,000, and serve two years of jail time—up from a maximum of one year previously.

The consumption of dog meat in East Asian countries has sparked an outcry from the public and animal advocates around the world in recent