Dog Meat Restaurant In Vietnam Closes After 20 Years; Owner’s Guilt Causes Him To Leave The Trade

In a heartening development, a dog meat restaurant and slaughterhouse in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, has shut down after two decades, due to the transformative efforts of the Models for Change program by Humane Society International (HSI).

Launched in 2022, the Models for Change program helps people transition out of the dog and cat meat trade, addressing animal cruelty and rabies transmission alongside local authorities. The restaurant’s owner, Mr. Dao Van Cuong, is now utilizing a startup grant from HSI to launch a new venture selling paint and household gas cylinders.

Dong Nai, located in southern Vietnam near Ho Chi Minh City, is sadly home to an estimated 500 dog and cat meat restaurants and is a trafficking route for dogs headed for slaughter. HSI began working in the province after city officials requested assistance. Since then, HSI has provided rabies education, trained veterinarians in spay/neuter techniques, and led prevention workshops across the region.

“Here in Dong Nai and in Thai Nguyen, we are proud to be helping the government achieve its goal of eliminating human rabies deaths from dog interactions by 2030, including by addressing the dog meat trade,” said Phuong Tham, HSI’s Vietnam country director. “Vietnam cannot hope to eliminate rabies and meet that 2030 target without tackling this trade.

“We hope our Vietnamese Models for Change program will become a key component of Vietnam’s strategy to provide alternative, economically viable livelihoods for those like Mr. Cuong who are dependent on the trade, and that the program will serve as a practical complement to legislative and regulatory reform,” continued Tham.

Mr. Cuong, who took over the restaurant nine years ago, said the guilt of killing dogs led him to leave the trade. He now looks forward to a peaceful business with a clear conscience. On his final day of business, HSI rescued 16 remaining dogs, who were in poor condition, including having matted fur and infected eyes. They are now receiving veterinary care and will be assessed for adoption.

“These dogs were clearly terrified when we found them. They’ve been through an ordeal and came close to death for the dog meat trade, but thankfully, we got them out just in time,” continued Tham. “For these dogs, the dog meat trade is over and no more dogs will ever suffer and die at this facility again. But for the millions of other dogs for whom the suffering continues across Vietnam, and the millions of citizens whose health is put at-risk from the spread of rabies and other diseases, we will continue to campaign to end this cruel and dangerous trade.”

Following the rescue operation, HSI organized a roundtable with officials from Dong Nai and Thai Nguyen provinces. Together, they agreed to push for more stringent enforcement of laws combating rabies and the illegal transport and slaughter of animals. This united effort seeks to diminish the dog and cat meat trade. We remain hopeful that this horrific trade will one day soon be eliminated.

In Vietnam, rabies claims the lives of over 70 people each year, primarily due to dog bites, with the dog meat trade significantly contributing to this issue. International organizations have set an ambitious goal to eliminate rabies in the region by 2030. Mr. Nguyen Truong Giang, director of Dong Nai’s Department of Livelihood Production and Animal Health, emphasized the importance of tackling all sources of rabies transmission, explicitly highlighting the dog meat trade. He voiced his support for HSI’s program, which aims to assist workers in transitioning to safer livelihoods.