Tourists in Bali are unwittingly eating dog meat sold as chicken, a new report has revealed.

Animals Australia carried out the investigation into ‘Bali’s hidden meat trade — and its disturbing connection to Australian tourism.’

It found that Australian tourists visiting the Indonesian island were being sold dog meat from brutally butchered animals in popular tourist spots, reports Yahoo News.

Some of the dogs had been poisoned, strangled or bludgeoned to death, the investigation found.

Eating dog meat is legal in Indonesia, but killing animals in a cruel way or serving meat contaminated with poison is against the law.

Animals Australia’s campaign director Lyn White said: ‘The dog-meat trade breaches animal cruelty laws and food safety laws. That is a statement of fact’, reports ABC.

In a video filmed by an undercover reporter, a vendor at a popular beach resort admits that he is selling dog meat.

But when he approaches a group of Australian tourists to try and make a sale, he tells the group they are buying chicken.

The group then eats the dog-meat satay sticks.

Animals Australia warns: ‘Every day, scores of gentle dogs — including pets — are captured off the streets of Bali to supply a booming dog meat trade.

‘The ‘lucky’ ones are shot. Others are poisoned, strangled, or clubbed to death.

‘And unwitting tourists are eating them.

‘Truth is, if you choose to eat meat, you may unknowingly be served dog in Bali.’

Dr Andrew Dawson, New South Wales Poisons Information Centre director, warned that eating the meat could pose major health risks.

He told The Independent: ‘If you are eating, for example, a curry and it was including bits of the animal stomach or the heart, then you would expect really high concentrations of cyanide, which could be fatal.’