Dr. Katherine Polak, Head of Stray Animal Care Southeast Asia for FOUR PAWS

The dog meat trade is big business in Vietnam and threatens the lives of millions of dogs every year, many of them pets. Every day, pets are violently snatched off the streets, from yards, and even while out on a walk with their owners. These unlucky dogs make a brutal journey to slaughterhouses, markets, and restaurants, where a gruesome death awaits them. But times are changing, and the brutality and illegality of pet theft is no longer being tolerated by Vietnamese authorities.

In a landmark case, police in Thanh Hoa Province received a tip off regarding a gang of dog thieves believed to have stolen thousands of dogs since the beginning of the year. On September 15, 2019 the police successfully carried out the largest ever bust of a dog theft ring in Vietnam, resulting in the seizure of 51 dogs. According to the police, the gang carried stun guns and other sharp weapons, and rode motorbikes through residential areas late at night shooting dogs roaming outside. Police arrested a total of 16 suspected gang members and questioned more than 40 susp​ects. The gang not only brutalized neighborhood dogs, but also caused outrage among local people, particularly pet owners.

Following the interception, Police struggled to properly care for the confiscated dogs given their limited capacity for animal care, so the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA), of which FOUR PAWS is a member, stepped in to offer assistance. There were 13 dogs in need of immediate medical care due to severe wounds sustained during capture. Dogs with painful open wounds were anaesthetised, treated, provided pain medication and antibiotics, and housed in a temporary shelter for ongoing treatment.

The Asia Canine Protection Alliance is an international alliance of four animal protection organizations committed to ending the illegal trade of dogs in Vietnam: FOUR PAWS, Animals Asia, Humane Society International, and Change for Animals Foundation. ACPA is working to build collaborative relationships with the governments throughout Southeast Asia where the dog meat trade is prevalent, and has already secured a moratorium on the trade in dogs between Thailand and Vietnam. 

Following the confiscation, the police publicised the bust throughout the province using local media so that stolen dogs could be reunited with their families. 

Over the course of 2 weeks, all 51 dogs were successful reunited with their owners, who were devastated by their pets’ disappearance.

This bust pets a major precedent as dog theft is rarely treated as a criminal offense in Vietnam unless the canines are valued at more than VND2 million ($86).

“These arrests will hopefully go a long way in deterring future dog theft in Thanh Hoa Province, and potentially throughout all of Vietnam. While the dog meat trade is often defended as ‘culture’ or ‘tradition’, the reality is that there are significant health and societal impacts associated with the trade and these are becoming of ever-growing concern within Vietnam and internationally.”

Earlier in the week, the Food Safety Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City urged locals to stop eating dog meat in an effort to improve Vietnam’s national image with tourists. They also warned the local community of the health risks posed by consuming the unregulated meat. This followed a similar call by the Hanoi People’s Committee last year.

In addition to membership in ACPA, FOUR PAWS also runs a ‘Cats Matter Too program‘ in Central Vietnam with local charities PAWS for Compassion and Vietnam Cat Welfare to improve veterinary training, animal welfare education, and provide free spay/neuter services.

Rehomed Deaf Dog Is Certain She’s Going Back To The Shelter Once Again

In the United States, 5–10% of canines are deaf. Some dogs become deaf as they age, while others are born without hearing. A cochleosaccular gene mutation is commonly the cause of hereditary deafness. Dogs with white coats and blue eyes are more likely to have this type of deafness.

Pit bull named Blu has piercing blue eyes and a white coat. Blu is deaf.

She remained unvisited day after day in an animal shelter.

Luckily, business colleagues Mark and Sean were looking to adopt a deaf dog in the San Francisco area. Two were located at Family Dog Rescue. Blu was one of them.

She was vibrant and full of life when Mark and Sean first met her at the shelter. Mark informed GeoBeats Animals that “she took an immediate strong connection to Sean and the rest is pretty much history.”

Blu’s first owners got in touch with them to let them know he had been living with them for six years. Blu was put in a shelter when they were forced to move into a rental home that forbade pit bulls.

One of the guests that stayed in the refuge the longest was Blu.

One of the reasons it took her some time to feel comfortable around her new dads was that she had been alone for a long time.

Blu was unsure about their intentions for her and whether they intended to send her back to the shelter.

“In fact, she was afraid on the first car ride we brought her on to the beach, which was a few days after we bought her.

” Mark said, “She was just shaking in the back.

According to Mark and Sean, Blu’s personality expanded as she felt more at ease around them.

Three years later, Blu still enjoys traveling in cars after receiving lots of love and attention.

Blu was made aware of Mark and Sean’s love and yearning.

They and Blu have grown so close that they have their own unique communication style

Blu can determine where they’re going by watching her father’s movements, and she even sniffs their feet while out on a stroll.

She is probably my spirit animal, I suppose. I can sense when she’s tense, happy, or depressed. Sean said, “We just read each other pretty well.

Blu recognizes that the wiggles on Mark and Sean’s fingers are signs that she is doing okay. Sean’s stern gaze tells her to calm down.

Additionally, they worked with a trainer to teach Blu stress-relieving techniques like stretching.

The fact that Blu is deaf has no effect on how she lives her life or interacts with her new owners.

According to Mark, it only affects Blu’s ability to build relationships with other canines.

It’s beautiful to see how much Blu means to Mark and Sean.

The reciprocity of the emotion is also obvious. Blu seems to be comfortable with her new family, happy, and healthy. We are ecstatic that Blu has found a place to call her new dads home.

Below, you can watch the heartwarming tale of pit bull Blu and her two dads