Time to Celebrate – Hanoi to Ban Dog and Cat Meat Trade!

Here’s a major victory we can all celebrate — Hanoi, Vietnam is set to ban the dog and cat meat trade and is telling the rest of the country to do the same!

Around five million dogs and cats are slaughtered each year for their meat in Vietnam, with over a thousand vendors and restaurants serving up the meat. Hanoi plans to close down all of these businesses within the next three years, and they have campaigns in place to get the rest of Vietnam on board in hopes of “modernizing” the country’s public image.

Although dog and cat meat has been losing favor amongst younger generations, there are still many supporters of the trade who credit “tradition” for maintaining the barbarism, asserting bogus beliefs that consuming dog meat at the end of the month and cat meat at the start of the month brings about some type of twisted notion of “good luck.” Although this move by Hanoi is excellent news, the work to change public perception and personal habits is still going to be an uphill battle that requires continued dedication and perseverance.

Scenes from dog and cat meat markets are nothing short of horrific nightmares, with beautiful animals, some of whom are kidnapped from lives as pets, tied up in bags waiting to be slaughtered by the most torturous methods including being blowtorched and bludgeoned while still alive, with some dogs dragged behind vehicles so their meat can be “tenderized” before being killed. Investigators at these markets report an all-encompassing and overwhelming stench of death weighing heavy in the air with blood and brain matter splattered everywhere, exposing people to a wide range of diseases. Exposure to and consumption of meat from these farms can result in contracting the excruciatingly deadly rabies virus or leptospirosis, which can cause bleeding of the lungs or meningitis; serious public health hazards that Hanoi officials have made a point of noting.

The dog and cat meat industry is disapproved of far and wide, with nearly a million signatures gathered in Support of ending the trade and a great number of celebrities, including Ricky Gervais and Ellen Degeneres, have lent their voice for the cause as well. This progressive move by Hanoi is applaudable and gives hope that the brutal trade is on its way out for good.

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Image Source: Pixabay