BackStories » Vietnam » Hoi An Signs Agreement With Four Paws to Cease Consumption of Dog, Cat Meats

Hoi An Signs Agreement With Four Paws to Cease Consumption of Dog, Cat Meats

The move is certainly a step in the right direction, though it remains to be seen which concrete steps local authorities will take to honor their promise.

This morning, December 10, the Hoi An People’s Committee signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with animal rights NGO Four Paws regarding an initiative to establish Hoi An as a welcoming tourism destination that says no to the consumption of dog and cat meat and assists in the eradication of rabies, Tuoi Tre reports.

The agreement will go into force immediately and run for two years. It was the result of a year of work between municipal authorities and Four Paws Viet, a sister organization of Four Paws International. For the duration of the campaign, Hoi An will conduct measures to improve animal welfare through vaccination programs, promotional materials to improve local awareness, and efforts to rescue dogs and cats from trafficking and kidnapping.

Nguyễn Thế Hùng, vice chairman of the Hoi An People’s Committee, emphasized the MOU is a humane decision: “The project to establish Hoi An as a welcoming tourism destination that doesn’t consume dog and cat meats and assists in the eradication of rabies fits in nicely with our vision to develop an ecological, cultural, tourist city.”

Hoi An’s latest agreement brings to mind a similar stance taken by Hanoi in 2018, when capital officials announced that they would work to eliminate dog meat from the city center by 2021 so as to promote Hanoi as a “civilized and modern” destination in the eyes of tourists. It’s now 2021, and the results are mixed, to say the least.

According to Four Paws, over 5 million dogs and 1 million cats are sold and killed every year for meat in Vietnam, posing immense public health risks and infringing on animal rights. Not only that, as dog farms are nearly non-existent, the majority of dogs consumed are stolen pets.

There are some more optimistic figures, nonetheless, as data by Four Paws shows that only 6.3% of Vietnamese eat dog meat, while 88% of the public supports an official ban on the dog and cat meat trades. 

Related Articles

in Vietnam

From April, Vietnam Will Impose up to VND3m Fine on Pet Abusers

The new decree is a positive development in the road towards ethical treatment of pets and farm animals in Vietnam.

in Vietnam

Hanoi to Establish Animal Control Squads to Catch Roaming Dogs, Cats

In a city-wide campaign to curb the spread of rabies, Hanoi authorities announced that the city will form squads dedicated to snaring stray dogs.

in Vietnam

While Seeking Lost Pets, Nha Trang Man Rescues 31 Dogs From Slaughterhouse

A man living in Nha Trang has earned kudos from animal lovers across Vietnam for saving 31 local dogs. 

in Vietnam

After Each Flood, Hoi An Picks Itself up, Just Like It Has Always Done

Every year, Vietnam braces for dozens of tropical storms coming from the East Sea. Localities along the coast in central Vietnam have to bear devastating destruction caused by Mother Earth whenever se...

in Vietnam

As Lockdown Intensifies, Animal Shelters Struggle to Rescue, Care for Abandoned Pets

Even before the pandemic, pet shelters struggled to find the time, money and resources to provide adequate care for their resident animals. But as the COVID-19 crisis worsens, rescue groups are facing...

in Culture

[Video] The Homeless Saigon Man Who Built a Home for Rescue Dogs

In recent years, uproar over the consumption of dog meat has culminated in demands for a national ban on the controversial dish, which some consider a traditional delicacy while others claim it is une...

Partner Content