In a heartening turn of events, a Vietnamese eatery notorious for slaughtering around 300 cats monthly for a cat soup recipe has ceased its cruel practices.
Restaurant killing 300 cats monthly for cat soup shuts down
The owner, 37-year-old Pham Quoc Doanh, expressed moral concerns and took a significant step by tearing down the advertisement for “thịt mèo” (cat meat) outside his Gia Bảo eatery in Thái Nguyên.
Doanh explained that economic struggles drove him into the cat meat market, saying, “Before selling cat meat at this eatery I served other normal food and drinks. However, the income was not enough to cover the living cost of my family.”
Despite feeling sorry for the animals, financial pressure led him to drown the cats by holding them down with a stick in a bucket of water. The Humane Society International (HSI) played a pivotal role in this transformation. The organization not only facilitated the removal of the cat meat advertisement but also affiliated Doanh with their Models for Change program. Additionally, HSI provided a one-time grant enabling him to close the restaurant and establish a grocery store, offering a fresh start.
The HSI rescued 20 cats and kittens that were destined for drowning, ensuring their freedom and placement for adoption. Doanh shared his relief, saying, “Now that I’ve closed my cat slaughter business, I feel more peaceful in my mind and feel confident and happy about my future without killing any more animals.”
The cat meat industry in Vietnam faces challenges in regulation, as cats are not considered livestock, exempting farmers from data registration. HSI’s intervention sheds light on the broader issue, with an estimated 1 million cats killed annually for meat in Vietnam.
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