Vietnamese police have seized more than 400 stolen cats in a crackdown on a large-scale cat meat trafficking ring in Ho Chi Minh City, according to animal welfare organizations and local media.
The multi-day operation last week helped reunite over 40 cats with their owners. However, dozens of others died due to the harsh conditions in which they were held.
Karanvir Kukreja, who leads the campaign against dog and cat meat consumption for the international nonprofit Humane World for Animals, described the case as 'a stark reminder of the massive scale' of cat meat trafficking in Vietnam.
Investigations revealed that Ho Chi Minh City police arrested nine suspects linked to pet thefts. At the scene, authorities found 45 cages containing about 400 live cats, along with four styrofoam coolers containing around 80 cat carcasses. An additional 21 live cats were found at another location.
The suspects confessed to trapping and collecting cats across southern Vietnam for three years, including in Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh, and An Giang.
Chris Gindelhumer from the nonprofit Vietnam Cat Welfare, who is helping care for rescued animals, said: 'I've seen a lot of tears in the past few days. It's beautiful to see so many Vietnamese families coming to find their cats, but also heartbreaking because many don't find them.'
Consumption of dog and cat meat is currently legal in Vietnam, but sellers must have a license confirming the animals' origin. Some cities, such as Hoi An, are working with international animal protection groups to discourage this practice.
After South Korea banned dog meat in 2024, Vietnamese authorities indicated they would reform the legal system to protect pets and pet owners' rights.
