Dog, cat meat trade shrinks in Hanoi as households seek sustainable livelihoods

“More and more dog, cat meat trading households are proactively ceasing operations and registering to transition,” Ngo Dinh Loat, deputy head of the Hanoi Sub-Department of Livestock Production, Fisheries and Veterinary Medicine, told the fifth sustainable livelihood transition training conference.

The event, co-organized by the sub-department under the municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Soi Dog Foundation and the Vietnam Social and Behaviour Change Communication for Sustainable Development Company (SBCC Vietnam), was part of a project focusing on a pilot model for rabies prevention and sustainable economic development in 14 selected wards, approved by the Hanoi People’s Committee in 2025.

“We are encouraging the remaining households to confidently join the initiative, and make full use of the training sessions and support packages currently underway,” he stressed.

“The sub-department will continue to strengthen inspections and coordinate closely with local authorities to ensure disease safety and food safety.”

The project has to date achieved positive results, with 28 establishments ceasing operations and 25 business households registering to convert their business models, according to a press release issued by SBCC Vietnam.

Building on the success of four previous rounds of livelihood training and three online sales skills courses, the highlight of the fifth conference was a live trade demonstration and hands-on practice session held right in the conference hall.

Under the direct guidance of culinary and beverage-mixing experts, participating households were shown how to prepare, and then prepared themselves, popular, fast-selling dishes and drinks currently in demand on the market.

The hands-on experience not only created an energetic atmosphere but also helped participants clearly grasp the feasibility of the new business models.

The participants were also introduced to the legal regulations on food safety, disease prevention and control, traceability, and slaughter control, as well as practical operational experience from successful transition models implemented around the world.

In addition to career counseling, vocational training, and market-linkage activities, the organizers officially announced the first batch of start-up support for five business households that had actively participated in the training.

The organizing board is also accelerating the review process for the next five households so that support can be delivered in time during October and November this year.

All costs for experts, training, and practice materials are fully funded by the project.

Faizan Jalil, senior manager at the Soi Dog Foundation, said that experience from other South Asian countries and around the world shows that when people see a safe new career opportunity with stable income, they will proactively come forward to participate in the transition.

“Looking back on the journey of five training rounds in Hanoi, we highly value the persistent commitment of the local authorities and implementing units,” said Jalil.

“These real-world results are not only changing the lives of individual families, but are also laying the foundation for a regional model program on rabies prevention and control linked to sustainable economic development by phasing out the dog and cat meat trade.”

As one of the households actively participating in the program, Nguyen Van Hung, former owner of a dog and cat meat trading establishment in Tay Mo Ward, who has now switched to selling beer and beverages, shared that his business location is not in a central area, so he faced difficulties on the early days of the switch.

“With the project's support, I was able to take part in the full range of courses, from online sales to preparation of foods and beverages,” he said.

“This practical knowledge has helped me learn how to apply technology to grow my business and attract new customers without depending too heavily on my physical location.”