HANOI, Vietnam – Police in Vietnam seized more than 400 cats in a major operation targeting a cat‑meat trafficking ring in Ho Chi Minh City, according to animal welfare groups and local media reports.
Over 40 of the rescued cats were reunited with their owners after a multi‑day effort last week, though several dozen died under the harsh conditions in which they were found, the groups said.
“This operation casts a sobering light on the scale of Vietnam’s cat‑meat trade,” said Karanvir Kukreja, director of Humane World for Animals’ campaign against dog and cat meat consumption.
An earlier investigation into a surge of pet thefts in Ho Chi Minh City led police to the trafficking ring, resulting in the detention of nine suspects, local media reported.
Officers uncovered 45 cages with around 400 live cats and four foam containers filled with ice that held approximately 80 dead cats, plus an additional 21 live cats found at a separate site, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Criminal Police Division.
With more than 500 cats seized in total, local outlets have called this one of Vietnam’s largest cat‑welfare cases in recent years.
The suspects confessed to capturing and transporting cats across southern Vietnam over the past three years, including Ho Chi Minh, Tay Ninh, and An Giang, police said.
“The grim reality of this trade is that thousands of cats are stolen, trafficked and slaughtered for meat each month throughout the country,” said Phuong Pham, country director of Humane World for Animals in Vietnam. “Thankfully, these survivors escaped.”
Several rescued cats were pregnant, and kittens were born in police custody this week, she added.
Chris Gindelhumer, of the nonprofit Vietnam Cat Welfare, said he “saw quite a lot of tears in the last few days.”
“It’s truly moving to see how many Vietnamese families are coming to claim their cats,” he said. “But it is also heartbreakingly painful for those who find their pets missing.”
Veterinarians and volunteers are mobilizing around the clock to care for the rescued animals, Gindelhumer noted.
While consumption of dog and cat meat remains legal in Vietnam, vendors must hold permits verifying the animals’ origins. Certain cities, such as Hoi An in central Vietnam, are collaborating with global animal‑welfare organisations to curb the practice.
Following South Korea’s 2024 ban on dog meat, Vietnamese officials announced plans to overhaul parts of the legal system to better safeguard pets and owners’ rights.
“This event came as a surprise to many and has increased awareness about the need to stop cat‑meat consumption,” said An Pham, a master’s student and avid cat lover in Ho Chi Minh City.
