As Vietnam’s economy continues to grow and the number of well-off people increases, the trade in both live and slaughtered dogs is also flourishing in the country. Buying expensive dogs to keep as pets is becoming a fashion among the newly wealthy, while the sale of dog meat is also rising and is considered quite costly.
A dish made from a dog’s leg is as popular in Vietnam as fried fish or snails are in many other countries.
Many Vietnamese believe that dog meat is not only tasty but also highly nutritious and that it strengthens the body.
In many Vietnamese villages, there are dog-breeding farms from where people involved in this business buy dogs and sell their meat to expensive restaurants in major cities.
Tuan Duc Son, Director of Vietnam’s Department of Animal Health, says that increasing prosperity in the country has raised the number of people who can afford dog dishes. As a result, demand, consumption, and prices of dogs are all rising.
It is a common sight to see trucks entering Vietnam from the Laos border carrying cages packed tightly with dogs like chickens. Typically, a single truck transports around 200 to 300 dogs.
Due to the continuous rise in demand, dog smuggling from Laos has also increased, and news of smugglers’ arrests has frequently become a topic in the media.
According to Son, growing prosperity is bringing changes among the younger generation, which prefers keeping dogs as pets like in Western societies, while the older generation still considers dog meat its favorite dish.
Quoc Bao, Senior Manager of the Vietnam Kennel Association, says that imports of different dog breeds from foreign countries are steadily increasing, and wealthy families buy them as pets. A young dog usually sells for around $1,000, which is te