This loaded dog truck was ready to head north to the large slaughterhouses located out of Hanoi. Prior to being loaded onto the truck each dog was held down on it’s back as a plastic tube was rammed down it’s throat, into it’s stomach. A gallon of putrid drain water was siphoned into it’s stomach followed by a bucket of cooked rice. Dogs choke and drown on their own vomit as they’re held down by greedy dog traders increasing the dogs’ weight for sale. It is each dog’s last meal.

Surviving dogs will go up to five days without food or water prior to slaughter. This is done to lessen the amount of body waste during slaughter.

The last thing down before big trucks roll out is to hose the truck down. This is done to wash out some of the vomit from the dogs reacting to being force fed. Dogs are in various stages of regurgitation, dying and death.

There are no dog farms in Vietnam. These dogs have been snatched and stolen by dog thieves and dog traders. Many of the dogs are loved pets with grieving families searching for them. A number of the dogs are wearing house collars.

A local Vietnamese animal lover, Bui, took these photographs. He said

“Every day I see a two story dog truck like this. The dogs are always in a panic. I look at the beautiful dogs, strong with beautiful hair. These dogs had owners. They were stolen by professional dog thieves.”

“The trucks run to the north (Hanoi), where people see eating dog meat as normal behavior. These people never think of the sad story behind every piece of meat they eat. The story of the owner who just had their loved pet dog stolen, who they took care of every day. He was their family member and their best friend. Now he is a piece of meat to satisfy a ‘food’ desire.”

Fight Dog Meat will continue to bring you reports from dog and cat meat countries and the wonderful work their rescuers are doing despite no animal protection laws. Turning away or sitting quietly does not end the trade. We’ll keep exposing what is taking place to these animals. We’re helping local volunteers have a louder voice on a world platform. Ultimately it’s the voice of the country’s own people whom their government will eventually be forced to listen to, for positive change for animals.

Thank you for reading,

Michele Brown
Founder,
Fight Dog Meat.