Police in Vietnam have rescued more than 400 stolen cats during a major operation targeting a criminal group involved in the cat meat trade in Ho Chi Minh City.
Animal welfare groups said more than 40 of the rescued cats have been reunited with their owners after the operation, but several others died because of the poor conditions they were found in.
The operation exposed what animal rights activists described as the “huge scale” of Vietnam’s cat meat trade.
Police launched an investigation after reports of stolen pets in Ho Chi Minh City. The investigation led officers to a suspected cat meat network, where nine people were arrested.
Authorities discovered 45 cages containing about 400 live cats and containers holding around 80 dead cats. Another location had 21 live cats that were also rescued.
Police said the suspects admitted to capturing and collecting cats across southern Vietnam over the past three years, including in Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh, and An Giang.
Animal welfare campaigners said millions of dogs and cats become victims of theft in Vietnam, with animals taken from streets or stolen from families and later killed for human consumption.
A volunteer with Vietnam Cat Welfare said many families came searching for their missing cats, with some finding them while others left without success.
Veterinarians and volunteers are working continuously to care for the rescued animals.
Although eating dog and cat meat is legal in Vietnam, sellers are required to have permits showing the animals’ origins. Some cities, including Hoi An, are working with international animal welfare groups to reduce the practice.
Vietnamese officials have also said they plan to improve laws to provide better protection for pets and their owners.
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