SHOULD DOG MEAT INDUSTRY IN VIETNAM BE CONSIDERED AS a CULTURE OR a CRIME

SHOULD DOG MEAT INDUSTRY IN VIETNAM BE CONSIDERED AS A CULTURE OR A CRIME? Should dog meat industry in Vietnam be considered as a culture or a crime? Anh T.Q Phan Solbridge International School of Business January, 2018 SHOULD DOG MEAT INDUSTRY IN VIETNAM BE CONSIDERED AS A CULTURE OR A CRIME? Abstract In Vietnam, many people eat dogs for meals due to many beliefs and superstition There have been many debates between dog meat eaters and dog lovers about whether to consider the dog meat industry as a culture or a crime By collecting online data and referring to library resources, this paper will answer this question First, the paper will give an overview of the current dog meat industry problem in Vietnam Next, the paper will discover the reasons why Vietnamese people love and keep eating dog meat Additionally, this research will explore many different opinions about the dog meat trade in Vietnam Finally, this paper will conclude and suggest some solutions to this problem Should dog meat industry in Vietnam be considered as a culture or a crime? Dogs in overcrowded-cages are moved to market in Vietnam for meat Duggleby, L When people think of dogs, they think of man’s best friend However, in some countries, dogs are killed for meat Vietnam is one of those countries where many people eat dog for meals According to Vietnam’s Asia Canine Protection Alliance, “Vietnam kills more than million dogs for their meat every year” (Duong Nguyen, 2014) There has been a never-ending debate about this problem in Vietnam To people who are accustomed to eating dog meat, they believe that eating dog meat is a culture; however, for people who love animals, eating dog meat is nothing more than a crime Should dog meat industry in Vietnam be considered as a culture or a crime? If it is considered as a crime, what should be done to stop people from eating dog meat? There are several reasons why people eat dog meat in Vietnam In the past, many Vietnamese people were destitute and suffered from hunger To survive, they had no choice other than killing and eating animals around them, which included dogs Since then, dog meat has become a traditional food and eating dog meat is socially accepted Nowadays, as people’s incomes and standards of living rise, they still consume dog meat because they think dog meat is delicious and healthy Most Vietnamese people believe that dog meat is rich in proteins and can be medicine for some diseases Dog meat is also believed to have many health benefits like increasing energy, strengthening immune systems, etc While most Vietnamese people eat dog meat for its taste and health benefits, some people eat dog meat due to superstition They think that eating dog meat at the second half of the month can bring bad luck away Some people even eat dog meat before buying lottery as they think eating dog meat can bring them good fortune Generally, Vietnamese people eat dog meat because they consider it as a culture trait, they love the taste of dog meat and believe in health benefits as well as some superstitions about eating dog meat On the other hand, there are many people against dog meat industry and believe that eating dog meat is a crime First, eating dog meat is unethical because dogs are pets, not food In Vietnam, many dogs are raised for meat and slaughtered brutally According to an article in The Guardian, “Some diners believe the more an animal suffers before it dies, the tastier its meat, which may explain the brutal way dogs are killed in Vietnam – usually by being bludgeoned to death with a heavy metal pipe (this can take 10 to 12 blows), having their throats slit, being stabbed in the chest with a large knife, or being burned alive” (Kate Hodal, 2013) These cruel and immoral killing methods are unimaginable The way these dogs were killed would horrify anyone, let alone dog lovers The second reason why eating dog meat should be considered a crime is that eating dog meat can cause the number of dog thieves to increase Since there is high demand for dog meat in Vietnam, dog theft has become a big business for many unemployed people The dog thieves often go at night seeking for unknown dogs on the street or the dogs at residential areas, bait these dogs by poison then put their dead bodies into cages and sell to dog meat restaurants Although dog theft is a serious issue, it is only considered a ‘small crime’ in Vietnam If the dog thieves get caught by police, they will only need to pay a small fine Specifically, “Officials have rejected tougher punishments for the crime, saying Vietnam’s jails are too crowded to fit all the dog thieves”, (Alasdair Glennie, 2014) While dog thieves only receive some warnings and can easily get away by paying small fines, many innocent dogs are killed and these dogs’ owners are left in a desperate situation losing their pets For this reason, eating dog meat should be considered a crime as it indirectly encourages dog theft Another reason against the dog meat industry in Vietnam is that killing dogs or preparing, eating dog meat can contain high risks of death Since most of the dog thieves killed dogs by poisoned baits then sell these dead dogs to restaurants, these dogs might still contain poison in their bodies if not being cooked properly When consumers eat poisoned dogs, the chances are that they will get poisoned and die Additionally, killing dogs and preparing dog meat can also be dangerous for the butchers A study conducted by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology of Viet Nam shows that 20% of the dogs at the slaughterhouses have rabies, and 40% of rabies victims in Vietnam are the butchers who work at these slaughterhouses (Lee, 2017) This study reveals that rabies virus in dogs can be transmitted to the butchers and cause them to die Basically, dog meat industry in Vietnam does not only kill the dogs but also kill the people who eat dog meat or prepare the dog meat In spite of these strong arguments against eating dog meat, it is yet difficult to stop the dog meat industry in Vietnam As most dog meat eaters in Vietnam are old and middle-aged people, changing their minds is definitely a big challenge Dog meat eaters claim that eating dog meat is not a crime because there are no government laws against eating dog meat These people also make an excuse that since dog meat is a big industry in Vietnam, if right now everyone stopped eating dog meat, many restaurants would be shut down and result in the high unemployment rate Nonetheless, these people forget that dog meat trade has caused a lot of people to die due to eating poisoned dogs and getting rabies while preparing dog meat These people did not even mention the mental loss for those who lost their pets from the dog thieves and those whose relatives died from eating or preparing dog meat Besides, there are people whose eating dog meat is a habit They eat dog meat almost every day and consider dog meat as other animal meat like beef, pork, etc When someone has opinions about their consuming too much dog meat, these people would argue that if dogs should not be eaten, then why everyone does not just stop eating other animals like cows, pigs, chickens, etc Dog meat eaters blamed dog lovers for being unfair, favoring dogs over other animals Regarding this, Tony Buoi Sang, a famous Vietnamese writer, stated in his book that there are three types of animals The first type is domesticated animals raised as pets like dogs and cats, the second type is wild and rare animals that we should preserve The third type is animals raised for meat like cows, pigs, chickens A civilized person should only eat the third animal type and be supposed to protect the first and the second type of animals (Tren Duong Bang, 2015) The writer emphasized the importance of ethics and explained that dogs fell into the ‘pet’ category, and that is why we should not eat dog meat Dog meat eaters should consider the morality when they consume too much dog meat and the consequences of these habits In conclusion, we cannot say that eating dog meat is a crime in Vietnam because until now, there is no official law against eating dog meat However, eating dog meat is definitely not a culture The word ‘culture’ should only be used for something beautiful and positive, not for cruel things Naturally, choosing whether to eat dog meat or not is up to everyone’s choice, and we have no rights over what others eat Yet, no one can deny the bad effects of dog meat industry on the society, from the brutal ways the dogs were killed, the death of dog meat consumers and the butchers who prepare the dog meat, to the grief of people whose dogs and relatives died After all, dog meat industry is against culture and it would be better for the dog meat trade in Vietnam to end What actions can pet lovers take to prevent people from eating dog meat? The most effective way is to focus on dog meat eaters’ mind and persuade them, instead of being hostile Everyone in the country should be informed about the health risks caused by eating dog meat and the bad effects on the dog meat industry on the country Furthermore, to decrease dog meat consuming in Vietnam, dog lovers can find and report illegal dog meat trades, raise funds to rescue the dogs from slaughterhouses Dog lovers can also run campaigns against eating dog meat, create videos or media about dogs to make Vietnamese people love dogs more References Duggleby, L (Photographer) (n.d.) Dogs in overcrowded-cages are moved to market in Vietnam for meat Luke Duggleby Photography Retrieved from http://www.lukeduggleby.com/thailandsillegal-dog-meat-tra Glennie, A (2014) Snatched from their homes, crammed into cages and beaten to death to be eaten: Inside the world of Vietnam's brutal dog-meat industry Daily Mail UK Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2779364/Snatched-homes-crammed-cages-beaten-deatheaten-Inside-world-Vietnam-s-brutal-dog-meat-industry.html Hodal, K (2013) How eating dog became big business in Vietnam The Guardian Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/27/eating-dog-vietnam-thailand-kate-hodal Lee (2017) Reasons Why Eating Dog Meat Can Kill You Epic Animal Quest Retrieved from http://epicanimalquest.com/3-reasons-why-eating-dog-meat-can-kill-you/ Nguyen, D (2014) Over million dogs killed annually for meat in Vietnam: canine alliance Tuoi Tre News Retrieved from https://tuoitrenews.vn/society/22438/over-5-millions-dogs-killed- annually-for-meat-in-vietnam-canine-alliance Tony, B.S (2015) Tren Duong Bang Vietnam, Hanoi: NXB Tre  ... is a culture; however, for people who love animals, eating dog meat is nothing more than a crime Should dog meat industry in Vietnam be considered as a culture or a crime? If it is considered as. .. dog meat and believe in health benefits as well as some superstitions about eating dog meat On the other hand, there are many people against dog meat industry and believe that eating dog meat. . .SHOULD DOG MEAT INDUSTRY IN VIETNAM BE CONSIDERED AS A CULTURE OR A CRIME? Abstract In Vietnam, many people eat dogs for meals due to many beliefs and superstition There have been many debates