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Police in Vietnam bust cat meat crime ring, rescuing over 400 cats
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Vietnamese police rescued over 400 cats in a major bust of a cat meat crime ring in Ho Chi Minh City, with at least 40 cats reunited with their owners following the operation.
- Several cats died due to harsh conditions before rescue, and veterinarians and volunteers are providing care at a temporary rescue center established by the Ho Chi Minh City Criminal Police Division.
- The suspects admitted to trapping and collecting cats across southern Vietnam over the past three years, highlighting the large scale of the cat meat trade in the country.
- The operation uncovered around 400 live cats and 80 dead cats, marking one of Vietnam’s largest cat welfare cases in recent years, with a kilogram of cat meat selling for about $2.70.
- While dog and cat meat consumption is legal in Vietnam under certain regulations, the bust has raised public awareness and sparked calls for stronger legal protections for pets and their owners.
