The number of people eating dog and cat meat in Hoi An has decreased sharply over the past 3 years.

Regarding the results of the project to say no to dog and cat meat, Director of the Hoi An City Agricultural Technical Center Tran Thi Hong Trang said that the number of dog meat restaurants and the number of people using Hoi An have decreased significantly from 2021 to present.

Dogs roaming the streets in Hoi An - Photo: BD

"Not only has the number of people eating dog and cat meat decreased significantly, but many shops selling dog and cat food have also closed. This has contributed to bringing more tourists to Hoi An," said Ms. Trang.

Hoi An reduces many dog ​​meat restaurants

At the workshop Journey of Love - for the welfare of millions of dogs and cats in Vietnam organized by the global animal welfare organization (Four Paws International) in Hanoi, the story of Hoi An's efforts to become the first city in Vietnam to say no to dog meat was used as a typical model.

With the characteristics of a heritage tourism city, Hoi An has been very determined in campaigning, bringing about many clear results in reducing the consumption of dog and cat meat.

Hoi An is considered a typical example of combining many factors including communication, education and coordination. From the story of Hoi An, it is expected that there will be many models of "cities that say no to dog and cat meat in Vietnam and the world".

According to Four Paws, in its journey calling for an end to the dog and cat meat trade worldwide since 2019, the organization has received more than 2.2 million signatures.

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

In 2023, Hoi An will have the Minh An heritage core area ward recognized as a "rabies-safe area", creating a positive effect on tourism activities and visitor safety.

Stop eating dog meat, more tourists will come to Hoi An

According to Dr. Karan Kukreja - Head of the Companion Animal Program in Southeast Asia (Four Paws Organization), ending the dog and cat meat trade needs to be implemented soon to meet public expectations and reduce infectious diseases from animals to humans.

This will also enhance Vietnam’s tourism-friendly image. There are also many people who agree to include the ban on the trade of dog and cat meat in the law.

In Hoi An, the city's leaders said that the work of propagating people to give up the habit of eating dog and cat meat has been carried out very vigorously since 2021. Slogans and posters have been placed in residential areas, especially near places with many dog ​​meat restaurants, to gradually change people's awareness.

Taking advantage of the Four Paws project, Hoi An also went directly to residential areas to persuade dog and cat meat restaurant owners to change their business field. Thanks to drastic measures, from over 10 dog and cat meat restaurants before 2021, Hoi An now has only 2 restaurants still operating.

Community media poster not eating dog and cat meat in Hoi An - Photo: BD

Vice Chairman of Hoi An City People's Committee Nguyen The Hung affirmed that although the Four Paws project's life cycle has ended, the campaign to eliminate all dog meat shops in Hoi An will continue until Hoi An is "clean" of dog meat shops.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Hong Trang, over the past 3 years, Hoi An has clearly changed in the trend of gradually eliminating dog and cat meat from the community. Campaigns launched by the government always receive response and support from the people.

"Although there are no specific statistics, the gradual elimination of dog and cat meat shops has created a beautiful image of a safe, friendly, civilized Hoi An, attracting more tourists to visit," said Ms. Trang.

From 2021-2023, Four Paws and the People's Committee of Hoi An city will sit down and sign a cooperation agreement to implement the project "Hoi An is a friendly tourist city, does not consume dog and cat meat, and supports the elimination of rabies".

Along with accelerating rabies vaccination and educating people on proper pet management, the project also aims to educate the community to gradually eliminate the habit of using dogs and cats as food.

Hoi An city authorities also gave specific figures to close dog and cat meat restaurants during the project's life cycle.

After two years of project implementation, the rabies vaccination rate for dogs and cats in Hoi An increased from 70% to 80 - 90%.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/so-nguoi-an-thit-cho-meo-o-hoi-an-giam-manh-3-nam-qua-20241216150358867.htm