HO CHI MINH CITY—More than 400 cats have been seized by police in Ho Chi Minh City in what appears to be one of Viet Nam's largest ever cat meat trade busts. Around 40 cats were reclaimed by desperate owners looking for their stolen pets, with more than 260 cats remaining in police custody, including kittens born after rescue and several pregnant females. Sadly, a number of cats in the seizure passed away, but Humane World for Animals Viet Nam praised the police and local volunteers for their decisive action that has saved the lives of so many animals.
Staff from Humane World for Animals Viet Nam made an emergency visit to deliver cat food to help in the enormous care effort. They also provided fans to stop the cats from overheating.
Phuong Pham, Humane World for Animals Viet Nam country director, said: "It was quite an overwhelming sight to see so many cats seized from just a single transport in Viet Nam's illicit cat meat trade. Many of the cats looked thin and weak, and it was clear to see they had been through a physical and mental ordeal from which now thankfully they have a chance to recover. There were several pregnant cats and also tiny kittens who had been born overnight in police custody. The sad truth about this trade is that thousands of cats every month are being stolen, trafficked and slaughtered for meat across the country, and the fate of most is to end up at a slaughterhouse or restaurant to be killed and eaten. Thankfully these survivors escaped that fate but this large seizure and the swift actions of the police are a welcome step in the crackdown that is badly needed on this trade."
Dr Karanvir Kukreja, Ending Dog and Cat Meat campaign manager at Humane World for Animals, added: "The seizure of hundreds of cats by Ho Chi Minh City police is both a sobering reminder of the enormous scale of Viet Nam's cat meat trade as well as a very clear demonstration of how attitudes within the country are changing to this cruel and dangerous trade and pet theft is being recognised as a significant issue.
The outpouring of support we are seeing from local volunteers, businesses, NGOs as well as the police, is testament to the societal shift we are seeing in Viet Nam and the growth in concern for animal welfare. While efforts are continuing to reunite stolen cats with their families, our main concern is for the cats who remain at the police station as evidence during the prosecution. We hope that it will be possible to relocate them soon to a facility set up for their ongoing care and we thank the police and the government of Viet Nam for action taken so far.”
Download photos and video of the cats HERE.
