Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Health, the global animal welfare organization FOUR PAWS International and the US Agency for International Development Vietnam co-chaired the annual High-Level Forum on One Health to Prevent and Control Epidemics from Animals to Humans within the framework of the One Health Partnership 2024, period 2021 - 2025.
At the forum, a global petition calling for an end to the trade gathered over two million signatures worldwide, including over 250,000 from Vietnam. FOUR PAWS will continue to campaign for a nationwide ban on the dog and cat meat trade by 2025 and beyond.
In recent years, public outrage has grown over the cruel dog and cat meat trade. In addition to being a clear violation of animal welfare, the dog and cat meat trade poses a serious threat to the spread of infectious diseases from animals to humans.
An estimated six million dogs and cats are trafficked for their meat each year, making traders and consumers agents of rabies and other diseases.
“With millions of dogs and cats being transported into and through Vietnam, the elimination of rabies in Vietnam will not be possible if the dog and cat meat trade continues. This increases the risk of direct infection and reduces vaccination rates,” said Dr. Karan Kukreja, Head of Companion Animal Program in Southeast Asia at FOUR PAWS.
Following the meeting, the Vietnamese Government will consider the recommendations in the coming time, thereby developing plans for the One Health Partnership Framework next year.
