Cat fattening farms like Nguyễn Đức Thịnh’s are somewhat uncommon, as most cats killed for meat in the country are typically strays and pets snatched while roaming the streets.
Cats awaiting rescue at the cat meat facility. Credit: Meredith
Lee/HSI
A cat meat farm and slaughterhouse in Vietnam has closed down for
good after its struggling owner was offered help to exit the
industry.
Based in the Thai Nguyen province, Mr. Nguyễn Đức Thịnh’s facility
had bought, sold, and slaughtered thousands of cats for the meat
trade over the past five years.
As part of the farm’s operations, Mr. Thịnh typically would buy
young kittens who were then fattened up and eventually slaughtered
for the cat meat trade.
Despite making a decent income, Mr. Thịnh struggled with the guilt
of causing so much suffering to the animals. He also became aware of
the industry’s harmful role in potentially spreading rabies amongst
animals and humans in the local community and beyond.
“When I started the business five years ago, I had no idea that the
cat and dog meat trades were linked to the spread of rabies and
other diseases, and I never expected to be so affected by the
suffering of the cats. ”, Mr. Thịnh explained. “Now that I am aware,
I feel an immense sense of regret and I am hugely relieved to leave
it all behind me.”
The sixty one-year-old farmer was finally able to transform his farm
thanks to a one-off grant from the Humane Society International’s
(HSI) Models for Change program, which helps support and facilitate
business owners in the cat meat trade who want to exit the industry.
Mr. Thịnh has now permanently closed his business and has
transitioned the property to grow tea, guava, and pomelo fruit for
local markets instead.
“Scalding and drowning is a terrible death for any animal and I hate
to think how many thousands of cats have endured that fate because
of my business”, Mr. Thịnh told HSI. “I’m looking forward to leading
a peaceful life growing crops instead.”
A rescuer from HSI spends time with a kitten being rescued from
the cat meat facility in Thai Nguyen province, June 2024. The owner
of this facility has agreed to transition out of the meat trade.
Credit: Meredith Lee/HSI
As part of the program, HSI’s rescue team visited the cat meat farm last month and removed 20 young cats - including some who had been born on the farm in filthy conditions.
The rescued cats then received medical care at a nearby custom-made
sheltering facility. Sixteen of the cats will soon be flown to HSI’s
care and rehabilitation center in the US, where they will be seeking
adoptive families. The remaining kittens will join them too once
they are old enough to fly with their mother.
Vietnam’s cat meat trade
According to HSI, an estimated 1 million cats are killed for meat
each year in Vietnam. Cat fattening farms like Mr Thịnh’s are
somewhat uncommon, as most cats killed for meat in the country are
typically strays and pets snatched while roaming the streets.
The cat meat industry has resulted in pet theft becoming a growing
societal issue in Vietnam, with a recent poll showing that 87
percent of people have either had a pet stolen or have an
acquaintance whose pet has been stolen.
During the rescue by HSI. Credit: Meredith Lee/HSI
However, there is hope that the movement against the cat and dog
meat trade in the country is gaining in popularity. Only a relative
minority of the Vietnamese population (around 21 percent) are said
to consume cat meat, with cats increasingly being seen as companion
animals rather than food.
“Our Models for Change program here in Viet Nam is demonstrating
that cat and dog meat business owners like Mr Thịnh can be part of
the solution to end these cruel and dangerous trades”, says Quang
Nguyen, the companion animals and engagement program manager at HSI
Vietnam. “South Korea’s recent ban on dog meat farming and sales
proves that legislative change is possible, and we believe the
health of Viet Nam’s citizens, as well as the welfare of its cats
and dogs, would be safeguarded by a similar ban in this country.”
Species Unite applauds Mr Thịnh and his compassionate decision, and
we hope it inspires many others to follow in his footsteps.