Police in Vietnam dismantled a feline‑theft ring that had stolen more than 400 cats slated for slaughter, rescuing them from the city of Ho Chi Minh and the province of Tay Ninh.
During the raids, officers recovered over 400 live cats and about 80 dead animals kept on ice. A separate facility yielded 21 additional seized cats. The operation, carried out on 11 June, followed a spike in pet thefts in the region.
Veterinary and animal‑rights organisations, including Humane World for Animals, report that roughly 40 stolen cats have since been reunited with their owners. The group praised police action but noted that a few animals later died after being held as evidence.
Vietnam allows the consumption of dog and cat meat, though vendors must obtain permits proving the animals’ origins. Nevertheless, pet buyers often face risky methods of theft—poisoned bait, tasers, and spring‑loaded snares—according to the welfare group.
In 2023, a survey commissioned by Humane World for Animals found growing public opposition, especially among younger people and pet owners, with a majority favoring bans on both dog and cat meat trades.
Each year, law‑enforcement and animal‑rights reports estimate that about one million cats and five million dogs are captured, trafficked, and slaughtered for meat in Vietnam, double the figures for many other Asian countries.
Police urged residents who suspect their pets have disappeared to come forward to help identify recovered animals and said the investigation is still ongoing.
