Hoi An - Vietnam's first city to say "no" to dog and cat meat.

This marks the first time a Vietnamese city has taken decisive action to end the dog and cat meat trade. Over the past year, the Hoi An City People's Committee has worked with Four Paws to develop this agreement aimed at eliminating dog and cat meat from the city. The agreement will take effect at the end of 2021 and will last for two years.

In addition, this agreement also aims to improve animal welfare through measures such as eliminating rabies through vaccination to prevent the risk of epidemic outbreaks, while also providing animal health care services in the community, enforcing regulations and legal sanctions to help eliminate the trade in dog and cat meat and related activities.

Julie Sanders, Director of Animal Services at Four Paws, said: “This is a pivotal, groundbreaking moment in Vietnam and the region. Each year, more than five million dogs and one million cats are trafficked and slaughtered for meat in Vietnam, endangering animal welfare and public health. Hoi An is a pioneering city, setting an example for other localities across the country to follow.”

Mr. Nguyen The Hung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoi An city, said that Hoi An is a heritage city with a rich history and culture, and a melting pot of domestic and international cultures. Hoi An is known for its tradition of "kind and gentle people" and simple lifestyle. Therefore, the project to build Hoi An into a friendly tourist city, free from the consumption of dog and cat meat, and to support the eradication of rabies, supported by the Four Paws organization, is entirely consistent with the orientation of building and developing Hoi An into an ecological, cultural, and tourist city.

Khanh Ha