Cats are, in many ways, the forgotten victims of Vietnam’s illegal dog meat trade. 400 cats were seized by police from a profit-driven network in Ho Chi Minh City.

 

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In Vietnam’s cruel and illegal meat trade, it’s often the suffering dogs who are in the spotlight. But cats too are caught up in this cruel and illegal trade—stolen from homes and streets, trafficked across provinces and slaughtered by the thousands every month. Cats are, in many ways, the forgotten victims of Vietnam’s illegal meat trade. 

That changed this week in Ho Chi Minh City. 

Two local organizations, HavePaws and Vietnam Cat Welfare, have been at the forefront of the massive effort to meet the urgent needs of the rescued cats on site, along with volunteer veterinarians. They have been providing around-the-clock care, helping to meet the animals daily welfare needs.

More than 400 cats were seized by police in what appears to be one of the largest single cat meat trade interceptions in Vietnam's history. Several cats have already been reclaimed by their families who had been desperately searching for their stolen pets.

Inside Viet Nam’s cat meat trade 

Viet Nam's cat meat trade is a profit-driven network that stretches across the country. Cats are stolen from homes and streets, transported in overcrowded cages with no food or water, and sold through a chain of traders before reaching slaughterhouses and restaurants. Many die during transport; those who survive will face brutal slaughter. 

Investigations have documented cats arriving at slaughterhouses still wearing collars—a stark reminder that many are beloved pets. 

It’s estimated that more than two million cats in Vietnam are taken or stolen for the trade each year, yet the issue receives far less attention than the dog meat trade. 

Why this seizure matters 

Historically concentrated in northern provinces such as Thai Binh and Hanoi, the cat meat trade has increasingly expanded south. Investigations have exposed restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City openly selling and slaughtering cats, making this seizure of cats by local authorities especially significant. 

The cat meat trade poses significant public health threats. The movement of unvaccinated animals of unknown health status across provinces and borders undermines efforts to thwart the spread of rabies. Cats who carry rabies and end up in the stressful, overcrowded conditions of the meat trade pose dangers to everyone: other cats, handlers, transporters and butchers. 

Humane World for Animals Viet Nam has provided initial emergency assistance and is working with local groups on the ground to assess longer-term support needs for the cats as the case progresses. 

The response from volunteers, local organizations, businesses and authorities reflects a growing concern for animal welfare in Viet Nam and increasing recognition that the cat meat trade has no place in modern society. The number of cats reunited with their owners, along with the sheer volume of people descending on the holding station searching for their lost pets, is a testament to the great affection of millions of people within Viet Nam, as well as their concern about the dreadful toll exacted by pet theft for the meat trade.  

What comes next 

The immediate priority is securing a longer-term solution for the cats still being held as evidence while legal proceedings continue. We are thankful to the groups on the ground handling this intensely difficult work and hopeful that the cats can soon be transferred to veterinary clinics for their ongoing care and recovery. 

This rescue demonstrates what is possible when authorities act. It also highlights the need for stronger legal protections. Vietnam previously prohibited the capture, slaughter and consumption of cats for more than two decades before the ban was revoked in 2020. Reinstating and enforcing clear legal protections would be one of the most effective steps toward ending this trade and preventing future suffering.

Source: Humane World USA

Breaking News: 67 dogs saved from South Korea's dog meat trade living in filthy cages with wire flooring, find sanctuary in the US (5 photos of the rescue)

 

All photos from Humane World for Animals

Over the weekend, 50 dogs rescued from a South Korean dog meat farm began a new life in the U.S., thanks to Humane World for Animals. Once confined to cramped, filthy cages with wire flooring, deprived of basic care, affection, or even the chance to run, these dogs have now stepped onto solid ground, felt soft bedding, and received gentle hands instead of fear.

Their journey took them from South Korea to JFK Airport in New York. From there, they travelled to the Humane World for Animals’ care and rehab center in Maryland, where they will receive veterinary care and emotional rehabilitation before finding adoptive families. An additional 17 dogs, mothers and puppies, will follow once they’re old enough to travel, bringing the total number of dogs rescued from the dog meat farm to 67.

The rescue operation was part of a broader effort to end South Korea’s dog meat industry, which is in its final chapter. With a government ban set to take full effect in 2027, nearly 40% of farms have already closed. Humane World for Animals has been instrumental in this progress, shutting down 18 farms and rescuing over 2,700 dogs since 2015.

One such farm, operated by Mr. Yu in Cheongju, was recently shut down for cruelty violations. For 40 years, Mr. Yu bred dogs for slaughter, serving their meat in his restaurant and selling them to markets. Now, he’s transitioning to chili farming, proof that alternative livelihoods are possible and necessary.

Joining the rescue was Korean American actor Daniel Henney, a longtime advocate against the dog meat trade. On-site in Cheongju, he helped remove terrified dogs from their cages and also adopted a golden retriever named Juliette, herself a survivor of the dog meat trade.

“As a huge dog lover, and dad to a dog meat farm survivor, it was incredibly challenging to see the suffering of these dogs who have endured so much. It makes me all the prouder to have supported Humane World for Animals’ successful campaign to achieve a ban because it means no more dogs like these will suffer like this again,” said Henney. “South Korea is embracing a new chapter where dogs are our friends not food, and that couldn’t make me more thrilled. I’m looking forward to following the journey of these dogs as they find their forever homes in the United States and put the dog meat industry behind them.”  

The rescued dogs, mostly Jindo mixes, now face a future filled with love and stability. But for too many still trapped in this cruel system, time is running out. Humane World for Animals’ campaign not only offers a second chance for individual dogs, but also challenges the cultural stigma that still surrounds meat farm survivors in South Korea.

“While the law is successfully dismantling the dog meat industry, we are happy to be able to provide a bright future for the dogs on this farm. For them the dog meat industry is over, and they have nothing but soft beds, full bellies and lots of love ahead of them,” said Sangkyung Lee, campaign manager for Humane World for Animals Korea.