Cat trafficking in Vietnam sparks outrage after network dismantled in Ho Chi Minh City. More than 400 animals were seized, including 40 returned to their owners.
Around forty cats stolen to be transformed into meat were returned to their owners after the dismantling of a network by the Vietnamese police, an animal rights organization said this Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
Nine people were arrested last week in connection with this “criminal group specializing in cat theft and collecting,” according to the official police journal of Ho Chi Minh City.
Police recovered a total of more than 400 live cats and 80 other dead cats kept on ice, the newspaper said.
Consumption of cats and dogs is legal in Vietnam
Eating cats and dogs is legal in Vietnam, where many restaurants openly offer this meat. However, sellers must have certificates proving the origin of the animals.
Police said they carried out the raid following a wave of pet thefts in Ho Chi Minh City. The suspects admitted to trapping cats for three years throughout the south of the country.
At least 40 of the stolen animals were returned to their owners, the Humane World for Animals organization said in a press release, hailing a “decisive operation which saved the lives of so many animals”.
Concern for cats staying at police station
“While efforts continue to reunite stolen cats with their families, our main concern is those who remain at the police station as evidence during the legal proceedings,” said Karanvir Kukreja, a representative of the organization.
Humane World for Animals says it donated food and organized the delivery of fans to prevent the cats from suffering from the heat.
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