Over 400 Cats Rescued in Vietnam – Police Uncover Illegal Meat Trade Network
Vietnamese police rescued over 400 cats during an operation that exposed a large criminal network involved in the illegal trade of cat meat for three years. This was reported by The Independent.
Law enforcement in Ho Chi Minh City detained nine individuals suspected of involvement in the criminal group. According to the investigation, members of the network kidnapped cats from various provinces of the country and sold them to people engaged in the trade of cat meat.
The police called this group a "criminal organization specializing in cat theft."
During the raids, over 400 live cats were found, about 80 dead animals, and another 21 cats in a different location. Around 40 rescued animals have already been returned to their owners.
The operation was conducted as part of a 45-day campaign against crime.
The animal protection organization Humane World for Animals reported that some of the rescued cats later died due to their living conditions but praised the police actions.
Humane World for Animals director in Vietnam, Phuong Pham, stated that the scale of the seizure was shocking, as it involved a large batch of animals within the illegal cat meat trade in the country.
According to him, many cats were exhausted and weakened, indicating physical and psychological suffering from which the animals now have a chance to recover.
It is reported that among the rescued were pregnant cats and kittens born overnight at the police station.
The human rights organization notes that thousands of cats are kidnapped every month and enter the illegal trade, with their fate often ending in slaughterhouses or restaurants.
Although the consumption of cat meat in Vietnam remains legal if the animal's origin is confirmed, activists emphasize that pet theft and the related trade remain a serious problem.
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