Vietnam’s Hoi An city pledges to phase out dog and cat meat consumption

Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and tourist destination, signed a pledge with the global animal welfare organization Four Paws International.

Setting a precedent

Officials in the Vietnamese city of Hoi An announced on Friday they would become the first city in the country to phase out the sale and consumption of cat and dog meat.

Vice City Mayor The Hung said of the decision, “We want to help promote animal welfare through rabies eradication, phasing out the dog and cat meat trade, and making the city a premier destination for tourism.”

The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, previously encouraged residents to stop eating dog and cat meat to help improve the city’s reputation and to reduce the public health risk of rabies infections.

Changing attitudes toward meat consumption

Vietnam currently consumes the second most amount of dogs of any country in the world, where an estimated 6.3% of the population there consumes canines.

Although cat and dog meat is still considered a delicacy by some in Vietnam, attitudes toward its consumption have shifted recently. According to the Bangkok Post, a national poll commissioned by Four Paws found 88% of Vietnamese people support a ban on the consumption of cats and dogs.

Featured Image via Toomas Tartes

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