Hoi An City of central Vietnam’s Quang Nam Province has seen the number of caterers and eaters of dog and cat meat decrease significantly since 2021 thanks to a project that says 'no' to consumption of the meat, according to a local official.

In 2021, the Hoi An administration partnered with Four Paws International, a global animal welfare organization based in Austria, to collaborate on an agenda aimed at eliminating the consumption of dog and cat meat in the UNESCO World Heritage City.

After three years, the effort has shown significant progress, with a notable decline in consumers and the closure of many traders and eateries, according to Tran Thi Hong Trang, director of the Hoi An Agricultural Technical Center.

“This has contributed to bringing more tourists to Hoi An,” she affirmed.

Since the project's launch, the local administration has relentlessly called on the community to forgo eating dog and cat meat, with many awareness banners and posters installed in residential areas, especially near dog meat restaurants.

According to authorities, only two restaurants remain from the original 10 plus before the collaboration.

Trang stated the community has responded enthusiastically to campaigns launched by the government to gradually eliminate foods derived from dogs and cats.

“The gradual elimination of dog and cat meat establishments has created a beautiful image of a safe, friendly, and civilized Hoi An, contributing to attracting more tourists, both domestic and international, to the city,” she added.

On December 9, Four Paws International hosted a workshop in Hanoi to highlight the story of Hoi An's efforts to become the first city in Vietnam to say ‘no’ to dog and cat meat.

Delegates at the event, titled ‘Journey to Compassion - Support for Dog and Cat Welfare in Vietnam,’ said this collaboration has produced a new structure that combines communication, education, and coordination in encouraging and educating people not to eat dog and cat meat.

Many delegates expected that the city’s success story will inspire many other cities to do the same.  

According to Four Paws International, from 2019 the organization has received more than 2.2 million signatures to support the end of eating this meat.

In Vietnam alone, this organization has collected 250,000 signatures.

According to Dr. Karan Kukreja, head of Companion Animals Campaigns for Southeast Asia at Four Paws International, the ending of the dog and cat meat trade needs to be implemented soon to meet public expectations and reduce infectious diseases from animals to humans.

He underscored that this will also enhance Vietnam's friendly tourism image.

Kukreja also notes that many citizens agree that a ban on dog and cat meat should be legislated across the country.

Deputy chairman of the Hoi An administration Nguyen The Hung confirmed that the official collaboration with Four Paws International has finished but it will maintain community motivation until there are zero purveyors/traders or caterers.

The cooperation also supported Hoi An’s efforts to control rabies, boosting the vaccination rate among local dogs and cats to 80-90 percent in 2023, up from 70 percent previously.

In 2022, Minh An Ward in Hoi An was designated a ‘rabies-free area,’ a milestone that has positively impacted tourism by enhancing visitor safety and promoting the city as a responsible travel destination.

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