Updates On 19th Apr 2015
Soi Dog Foundation 
Apr 19, 2015 
NGOs, Soi Dog Foundation 
0 comments
| Tweet |  |
CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE VIETNAMESE DOG MEAT TRADE – PRESS CONFERENCE, HO CHI MINH CITY:
On April 14th 2015, Soi Dog Foundation, together with its partners in the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (Humane Society International, Animals Asia and Change for Animals Foundation), launched a campaign against the dog meat trade in Vietnam.
Please CLICK THIS LINK to SIGN THE PETITION and help end the slaughter of millions of Vietnamese dogs every year: http://bit.ly/End_The_Vietnam_Dog_Meat_Trade
A press conference was held in Ho Chi Minh City to launch the campaign, at which Soi Dog founder John Dalley spoke to the assembled journalists. Below is an extract from that speech:
“I am here today to lend our support to the increasingly large number of citizens of Vietnam who want to see an end to the terrible cruelty associated with the dog and cat meat industries here.
In the 21st century, there is no longer a place for deliberate cruelty to animals anywhere in the world.
Of course cruelty happens everywhere, but few countries now do not have strong laws to prevent it or punish those that do it.
Vietnam today is a modern country, a leading country in the region, and should be joining with other countries in the area such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and The Philippines in introducing and enforcing laws that ban cruelty to animals.
This is not about cultural differences. The cruelty inflicted in the capture, transporting, force-feeding, and finally killing of these animals, particularly in China and Vietnam, is far and away the biggest animal welfare concern in the world at this time, affecting as it does many millions of animals each year. How many people who buy dog or cat meat in Vietnam understand the suffering those animals go through before they end up on their dinner plates I wonder, and how many would still eat a dog if they followed it from all it went through before ending up on the butcher’s slab?
The eating of dogs was first introduced here by hill tribes who spread from China who would keep livestock and dogs, and kill excess for food out of necessity. In times of famine, of course people will also eat whatever they can to stay alive, but dogs were never bred by man for food. All dogs originate from the wolf and were domesticated by man to protect homes, crops and livestock and became companions. Scientists say that without the domestication of the wolf, we would all still be hunter-gatherers. Dogs have grown so close to man that they are the only species that read our emotions the same way we do, and why the relationship between man and dog has become so strong.
Furthermore, it is the first duty of any government to protect its citizens. People eat dog meat in Vietnam because they believe it is lucky to eat at certain times of the month. Others, particularly men, believe dog meat will make them strong. I can tell you that eating dog meat does none of these things.
These are myths encouraged by those who make high profits from selling the meat.
The reality is it is very dangerous to eat this meat. Tests on dogs slaughtered for meat both here in Ho Chi Minh City and in Hanoi show significant numbers are carrying the rabies virus. It is no coincidence that China and Vietnam have the highest numbers of human rabies cases in the region. Furthermore, outbreaks of cholera and other dangerous diseases have been proven to have come from eating this meat, and yet the government continues to allow live dogs to be transported across the country contrary to current laws, and no standards of hygiene exist in the preparation of the meat.
In addition, today most of the dogs consumed are stolen pets. The people who supply the dogs in this way are criminals. They do it because they can make as much money as selling illegal drugs, but face little or no punishment if caught. With no law to protect them, more and more villagers are taking the law into their own hands, leading to deaths of both owners and thieves.
I love this country. 30 years ago, I first visited as a tourist and was struck by the beauty of the country and the friendliness of its people.
Today nearly all the stories coming out of Vietnam are not of its progress, but of the terrible cruelty being inflicted on animals. Many tourists are afraid to come here because of the fear of what they may witness. That is so sad, because Vietnam has so much to offer.
This ‘Trade of Shame’, as we call it, must end. It benefits only a very few people – criminals and sellers who could easily switch to selling other healthy food. So please support this campaign and let’s see Vietnam show the world that the vast majority of people here are compassionate people, and have no wish to see this cruelty continue.”
Please CLICK THIS LINK to SIGN THE PETITION and help end the slaughter of millions of Vietnamese dogs every year: http://bit.ly/End_The_Vietnam_Dog_Meat_Trade
Source: https://www.facebook.com/SoiDogPageInEnglish/photos/a.137025..
| Tweet |
|
Facebook Comments