Dog meat off the menu in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, as tradition clashes with contemporary tastes
Officials have urged residents of the Vietnamese capital to stop eating dog meat because of public health, and image, risks
From tree-lined boulevards and golden-hued colonial architecture to seemingly impenetrable blocks of motorbikes that miraculously part to let pedestrians pass and their unique cacophony of horns and hums, Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, has much to offer visitors. And then there is the food.
However, one long-held culinary tradition is soon to be no more: the dog- and cat-meat trade.
Last month, government officials called for an end to the industry, citing health and public image concerns. “The trading, killing and use of dog and cat meat has brought on a negative reaction from tourists and expatriates living in Hanoi,” and it could damage the city’s reputation as a “civilised and modern capital”, said the Hanoi People’s Committee in a statement released on September 11.
Speaking to news website Southeast Asia Globe, a representative from the Department of Health in Hanoi, said that there are plans to “gradually phase out the slaughtering and trading of dog meat”, adding that “by 2021, there will be no dog meat restaurants in the city centre”.
As many as 5 million dogs are eaten every year in Vietnam, making it the second largest consumer of the meat behind China. In Hanoi alone, there are more than 1,000 shops selling dog and cat meat, Time magazine reported, and there are concerns that the industry is linked to the spread of animal-borne diseases such as rabies, which has claimed the lives of three residents this year.
But while younger generations appear to welcome the move, there are those who argue that consuming dog meat is a culinary custom that should be safeguarded. One popular argument against an outright ban was recapped by a dog-restaurant patron who told Germany-based DW News: “For us, it’s a tradition to eat dog meat. It’s just as normal as eating seafood or chicken.”
Moral relativism aside, animal welfare groups maintain that it is not the consumption of dog meat itself that is under fire, but rather the mechanisms of the industry. According to conservative estimates from Humane Society International, more than 80,000 dogs are trafficked from neighbouring Thailand and Laos to meet Vietnamese demand each year, while investigations have uncovered cruelty at every stage of the trade, from sourcing to transport and sale to slaughter.
None of which makes man’s best friend seem all that appetising. Vegan Vietnamese restaurant recommendations, anyone?
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