Hanoi rabies prevention project wins World Rabies Day Awards 2026

GARC has presented its World Rabies Day Awards 2026 to Bui Thi Duyen, director of SBCC Vietnam, one of the organizations directly implementing the project, titled ‘Pilot model for rabies prevention, sustainable economic development and phased-transition of dog and cat meat trading in selected wards of Hanoi.’

The award recognizes the results of the pilot in 14 wards, where people who slaughter and sell dog and cat meat are being supported to move into safer livelihoods.

Encouraging results

The project was approved by the Hanoi People's Committee in July last year.

The municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment is the project owner, with implementation by the Hanoi Sub-department of Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Medicine, Soi Dog Foundation and SBCC Vietnam.

After more than a year, 28 businesses have ceased operations while 25 have registered to change their business model.

Giang Vo has become the first ward in the project with no remaining dog or cat meat businesses.

The award comes as rabies remains a major public health challenge in Vietnam.

By mid-September, the country had recorded 54 rabies deaths.

Duyen described the award as the result of shared commitment and joint effort by SBCC Vietnam, the Hanoi sub-department, Soi Dog Foundation and other partners throughout the project, according to a press release issued by SBCC Vietnam on Friday.

The project deserves recognition

Rabies is an extremely dangerous infectious disease transmitted from dogs and cats to humans.

Yet behind the transport, slaughter and sale of dog and cat meat are people who still depend on this work for a living.

To support a coordinated response to rabies, the project has taken a One Health approach, balancing three priorities: human health, animal welfare and livelihood support for the community.

“The transport, trade and slaughter of dogs and cats are the weakest link in today's disease prevention chain,” Faizan Jalil, senior manager at Soi Dog Foundation, said on the importance of the approach.

For this reason, the award citation highlighted two key factors that set the project apart: multi-sectoral coordination between the government, communities, civil society organizations and international partners; and a focus on driving long-term, sustainable behavior change.

These two pillars are also the path the project has consistently followed.

Different roles, one shared mission

No single organization could complete this journey alone.

The project's success comes from effectively combining the strengths of multiple sectors, with each partner fulfilling its mandate and contributing its expertise.

While the Hanoi People's Committee issued an official letter to implement the plan to strengthen the management of animal slaughter, transport and trade and of animal products, the municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment led coordination.

On the technical side, the sub-department plays a central role in guiding, inspecting, monitoring and building the capacity of grassroots veterinary staff.

This coordination extends to the ward level, where People's Committees and local veterinary staff go door to door to dog and cat meat businesses, reviewing their operations, persistently encouraging change and guiding owners to comply with regulations.

Meanwhile, Soi Dog Foundation contributes international experience in sustainable livelihood transition, as well as a humane euthanasia protocol that has been introduced into training for the public veterinary system for the first time.

SBCC Vietnam, a social enterprise, leads the behavior change communication strategy and works side by side with dog and cat meat traders as they learn new skills and build new ways of earning a living.

The initiative has also inspired private veterinarians to volunteer their time and expertise.

Most people working in the dog and cat meat trade are already aware of the disease and health risks.

The results in the pilot wards are not only helping people change livelihoods and stabilize their lives, but are also gradually shaping a standardized model for rabies prevention linked to sustainable economic development.

Several other provinces and cities have already shown interest in learning from Hanoi's experience.