ENDING THE DOG MEAT TRADE IN VIETNAM

Vietnamese law and the dog meat trade

Laws about the dog meat trade in Vietnam are confusing, and create room for illegal activity to go unchecked. At the moment, the sale and consumption of dog meat is still legal. However the unregulated international import and trans-provincial (in-country) movement of dogs has been illegal since 2009.

Vietnamese Animal Health Law states that quarantine and vaccination certificates are a legal requirement when transporting animals. If not provided, the animals should be confiscated. In reality, proper checking of documentation at quarantine checkpoints is rare, and millions of dogs continue to be illegally transported by criminal gangs.

Rabies, like COVID 19, is a zoonotic disease and a major threat to global health. The United Nations’ commitment to eliminate rabies is a major driver of action against the dog meat trade.

Transporting dogs by bike to a collection point in Dak Lak.