The authorities in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi is urging its residents to stop eating dog meat. According to the officials, consuming dog meat gives a negative reputation of the image of a modern and civilized city, and also increases the risk of spreading deadly diseases like rabies. Besides, citizens are asked to stop eating cat meat, which is much less popular than canine, but it can also be found in stores.
Hanoi’s vice mayor Nguyen Van Suu stressed that such move is an effort to stamp out rabies in Vietnam by 2021. The move is a contentious one as many Vietnamese believe that eating dog meat increases stamina and the dish is thought of as a delicacy. It should be noted that there are around 1000 stores selling canine and cat meat in Hanoi. There are 493,000 dogs and cats in the city, of which 10% are raised for commercial purposes. Moreover, the People’s Committee of the capital emphasized that many animals are brutally killed.
In spite of that on social media, many people welcomed the officials’ decision, but there were some who argued it was a habit that many Vietnamese could not quickly give up. So, the process of abandoning canine and feline meat takes a long time.
