Campaign Against Dog and Cat Meat in Vietnam

The global animal welfare organisation VIER PFOTEN has launched a new campaign called «This is not Vietnam», which aims to show that the majority of Vietnamese people are opposed to the cruel and barbaric trade in which dogs and cats are killed for their meat.

Among other things, the campaign calls on the public to send a short message via email or other means to Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister, His Excellency Vu Duc Dam. The message is intended to make clear the current public sentiment in favour of ending the dog and cat meat trade.

Every year in Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia, around ten million dogs and cats are captured, transported and killed for their meat. The vast majority of animals in the dog and cat meat trade are stolen pets and strays. The scale of this cruel trade makes it one of the most serious animal welfare problems affecting companion animals in Asia.

A survey conducted in early 2021 found that the majority of the Vietnamese population is calling on the government to take action. 91% are in favour of restricting or banning the dog and cat meat trade. 88% of respondents answered yes to the question of whether they would support a ban on the trade. Furthermore, 95% of those surveyed stated that, in their view, the consumption of dog and cat meat is not part of Vietnamese culture.

This campaign comes at a pivotal moment in the country’s history, as Vietnam’s perception and reputation regarding the dog and cat meat trade are changing, and the government now has the opportunity to act. A new generation of Vietnamese citizens, together with us, is calling for a break with the past and for animal welfare to be placed at the heart of the transformation Vietnam is currently undergoing.

Although progress may seem slow, there are already many changes taking place in Vietnam. Just this month, thanks to the cooperation of local authorities,the first city in Vietnam, Hoi An, has committed to ending the trade in dog and cat meat.

However, there is still much work to be done. Our goal is to have stricter animal welfare laws introduced and enforced to put an end to this brutal trade. This will protect not only animals, but also people. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how dangerous the trade in live animals, including dogs and cats for meat production, truly is. «By protecting animals, we are also protecting public health. Prevention is the key to this», says Dr. Karan Kukreja, Head of FOUR PAWS Pet Campaigns in Southeast Asia.

A current FOUR PAWS petition addressed to the governments of Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia, calling for an end to the dog and cat meat trade, has already been signed over 1.4 million times. Nearly 250,000 signatures come from Vietnam.

By working with governments, supporting local stray animal rescue projects, closing dog and cat slaughterhouses and rescuing the animals held there, as well as raising awareness about the dangers of this trade, FOUR PAWS aims to end the dog and cat meat trade once and for all.