Couple Whose Dogs Were Slaughtered By Authorities Over COVID-19 Fears Welcome New Rescue Puppies Into Their Lives

A ‘heartbroken’ Vietnamese couple whose animal companions were killed by government authorities over COVID-19 fears have adopted new dogs, thanks to public support.

Pham Minh Hung and his wife, Nguyen Thi Chi Em, gained attention on the social media platform Tik Tok last year after clips of the couple on a scooter with their dogs and their belongings piled on went viral. 

The couple was making the 300-km long road trip south from their home near Ho Chi Minh City to Ms. Nguyen’s hometown in the province of Ca Mau. Vietnamese audiences found the heartwarming story a comfort during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But just hours after reaching their destination, Mr. Pham and his wife tested positive for Covid and were quarantined in hospital. It was here that they learned the news that 15 of their dogs and their cat were dead, killed by Vietnamese authorities over fears the animals could spread the virus. 

Authorities cited the killing as a “preventative” measure, but the story ignited outrage in Vietnam, with people calling for greater protections for animals. A petition calling for humane treatment of animals in Vietnam also gathered nearly 240,000 signatures. 

The devastated couple received 120 million dong ($5,300) from several donors, according to the BBC, which they used for medical treatment and the rescue of the new puppies, some of whom they saved from the dog meat trade. 

"Some of them looked so bad as they were locked up for their meat, so I bought them and raised them," Mr Pham said.

Despite the comfort the new rescues have brought the couple, the loss of their previous canine companions, who they refer to as ‘their children’ still weighs heavy on their minds.

"When my dogs were killed, I was despondent and cried a lot. At the same time, we had Covid. My family was under a lot of pressure.

"We raised the dogs for six, seven years. I was very sad. During the Lunar New Year, we went back to the place where the dogs were killed and burnt incense for our children."

Now, the couple says they spend most of their earnings rescuing dogs from slaughterhouses and restaurants, as well as buying dog food and medicine.

"I love them so much. Raising 15 children is expensive, but I also get help from good people," Mr Pham said.

Dog Meat In Vietnam

 As the world’s second-largest consumer of dog meat, around five million dogs are killed for food every year in Vietnam, with Hanoi considered the dog meat capital of Asia. Many of these animals are illegally rounded up off the streets in neighboring countries. Others are animal companions who have been stolen from their families.

Dog meat restaurants remain popular, particularly among older generations, but a rise in animal companionship and a younger ‘Instagram-generation’ are leading the country away from the so-called delicacy. 88 percent of people polled in Vietnam support a ban on dog meat. 

In 2018, Hanoi made headlines after officials announced a dog meat ban that would be in full effect in the city center by 2021. The director of the city's Department of Health revealed plans for a directive that would "gradually phase out the killing and trade of dog meat" in central Hanoi, particularly in major tourist districts - a move applauded by animal rights activists in Vietnam and throughout the world. 

However, as of 2022, dog meat restaurants are still going strong in the country’s capital. The Species Unite community has been working together to remind the Vietnamese government of their commitment to phase out dog meat in Hanoi, with more than 5700 signing the petition pushing for a ban on dog meat trade in Hanoi.