Accra, Ghana – The Institute of Community Sustainability (ICS) has officially condemned a growing superstition in Accra: the belief that consuming dog heads can protect women from heartbreak or prevent divorce.
During a recent community outreach program, ICS researchers found that many women admitted to eating dog heads under the guidance of pastors or spiritual leaders, who claimed it would “strengthen the heart” against emotional pain or infidelity.
“Heartbreak is a psychological and emotional challenge, not a biological or spiritual one that can be cured by eating an animal,” said Eric Jerry Aidoo, Executive Director of ICS. “There is no scientific basis for this practice, which misleads vulnerable women and harms innocent animals.”
ICS is urging religious leaders to stop recommending such practices and instead provide proper emotional counseling and marital support. Consuming dogs and cats not only violates ethical norms but also poses serious public health risks, including the potential spread of zoonotic diseases.
Following these findings in Accra, ICS is launching an awareness campaign in the Volta Region aimed at educating communities on the intelligence and emotional capacity of companion animals, empowering women with real tools for emotional resilience, and dispelling the myth that animal cruelty offers spiritual protection.
“Ghana can be a more compassionate nation where pets are protected, not served on a plate under the guise of spiritual healing,” Aidoo added.
