Authorities in Hanoi are taking steps to reduce the consumption of dog and cat meat in a bid to ensure food safety as well as animal welfare.

The municipal People’s Committee has recently issued a document requesting competent authorities to tighten the management of the slaughter, trade, and use of dog and cat meat across the capital.

Focuses will also be directed on preventing rabies infection and minimizing the consumption of dog and cat meat among local residents.

Such actions are aimed at promoting the humane treatment of animals and gradually eradicating the habit of using dogs and cats as food.

The administration stated in the document that the use of dog and cat meat poses high risks of such infectious diseases as rabies, cholera, and spiral bacteria-related illnesses.

The trade and slaughter of such animals have also left a bad impression on foreign visitors and expats, thus affecting the city’s image and tourism.

Statistics from local authorities showed that the northern Vietnamese city currently has over 490,000 dogs and cats, of which 87 percent are kept as pets.

There are more than 1,000 facilities specializing in slaughtering and trading dogs and cats as food.

Three people, who lived in Phuc Tho, Phu Xuyen, and Soc Son Districts, have been killed by rabies since the beginning of 2018.

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