More than 400 cats destined to be slaughtered and sold for meat for as little as £2 per kilogram have been reunited with their owners after a police raid in Vietnam.
Police Raid in Ho Chi Minh City
Police and animal charities discovered 45 cages containing approximately 400 live cats and four ice-filled foam containers holding around 80 dead cats in Ho Chi Minh City. The suspects admitted to trapping and caging cats across southern Vietnam to be slaughtered over the past three years. About 20 live cats were also recovered at a separate location, according to police. A kilogram of cat meat sold for around 70,000 Vietnamese dong (approximately £2).
Impact on Owners and Rescuers
Phuong Pham, country director of the Humane World for Animals in Vietnam, stated: 'The sad truth about this trade is that thousands of cats every month are being stolen, trafficked and slaughtered for meat across the country. Thankfully, these survivors escaped.' Several of the rescued cats were pregnant, leading to kittens being born in police custody this week. However, some cats died from the harsh conditions they were trapped in before the raid.
Chris Gindelhumer from the nonprofit Vietnam Cat Welfare, who is helping care for the rescued animals, said he 'saw quite a lot of tears in the last few days.' He added: 'It's really beautiful to see how many Vietnamese families are coming, looking for their cats. But it's also heartbreaking because many families were looking for their cats and didn't find them.'
Legal Context and Awareness
Eating cat meat is legal in Vietnam, as is dog meat. Vendors must have permits to validate the animals' origins. Not long after South Korea's 2024 ban on dog meat, Vietnamese officials said the government plans to rebuild parts of the legal system to better protect pets and the rights of their owners. An Pham, a master's degree student and avid cat lover in Ho Chi Minh City, commented: 'This event surprised a lot of people and has raised awareness among many to stop consuming cat meat.'
Vets and volunteers are working around the clock to save the remaining cats, Gindelhumer said.
