OUR DRIVE-Police busted a cat theft and trafficking ring in a massive operation in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
During this raid, officers rescued more than 400 cats who were suspected of being sold for meat consumption.
The operation, which lasted for several days, also revealed the discovery of around 80 dead cats stored in containers filled with ice.
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Police also found dozens of other cats in separate locations, bringing the total number of confiscated animals to more than 500.
This case is said to be one of the biggest revelations regarding cat welfare in Vietnam in recent years.
The investigation was launched after police received numerous reports of missing pets. The results of the investigation led to a network suspected of having stolen and collected cats from various areas in southern Vietnam for the last three years. Nine people were arrested in this operation.
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During the raid, officers found around 400 live cats housed in 45 cages. Police also confiscated around 80 dead cats stored in boxes filled with ice as well as more than 20 other live cats from different locations.
The suspects admitted to trapping and collecting cats from a number of areas before selling them to a cat meat trafficking network.
Animal protection group Humane World for Animals said more than 40 rescued cats had been reunited with their owners. However, a number of cats have reportedly died after rescue due to the poor conditions they experienced previously.
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Currently, hundreds of rescued cats are being cared for by veterinarians and volunteers in temporary holding centers set up by the Ho Chi Minh City Police. Some of them are known to be pregnant, and even give birth after being in care.
Animal rights groups consider the disclosure of this case to be an illustration of the scale of the cat meat trade in Vietnam.
They also encourage strengthening legal protection for pets to prevent similar cases from recurring in the future.***
