Dog meat has been considered a traditional dish in Vietnam for a long time, and eating dog has been believed to be a way to preserve the national culture and to bring good luck as well (Arthurs, 2001). Currently, however, many animal lovers, animal rights activists and organizations all over the world have been concerned about whether this is an unsound and a barbarian custom that needs eliminating or not. For example, in the United States and Europe, people can treat dogs and cats as part of their family. Conversely, the value in Asia is vastly different, and dog meat or cat meat is regarded as a delicacy and some people loved it. It is undeniable that different cultures will leads to various conceptions, which makes this topic become a controversial
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With their keen sense of smell, dogs are trained to be detection dogs or sniffer dogs. These dogs can help people, especially the police, to detect substances, for instance, explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, or accelerants such as gasoline and lighter fluid (Clark, 2013). Also, dogs can be trained to become assistance dogs, which help people who have disabilities. For example, there are guide dogs for the blind and the visually impaired, hearing dogs for the deaf and hard of hearing, mobility assistance dog for people living with physical disabilities, or mental health assistance dogs for people with mental disorders (Becker, 2014).
2. Alarming issues surrounding eating dog.
Because of a large number of Vietnamese who love to eat dog, the demand for dog meat becomes enormous. According to the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA), approximately 5 million dogs are killed in Vietnam annually for human consumption, which makes the country the world’s second biggest consumer of dog meat after China. Meanwhile, the number of dogs that traders purchase then resell to restaurants cannot be sufficient to meet this sizable demand. Therefore, many people seek for different ways that seem to be negative to resolve this inadequacy.
2.1. Illegal dog
With their keen sense of smell, dogs are trained to be detection dogs or sniffer dogs. These dogs can help people, especially the police, to detect substances, for instance, explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, or accelerants such as gasoline and lighter fluid (Clark, 2013). Also, dogs can be trained to become assistance dogs, which help people who have disabilities. For example, there are guide dogs for the blind and the visually impaired, hearing dogs for the deaf and hard of hearing, mobility assistance dog for people living with physical disabilities, or mental health assistance dogs for people with mental disorders (Becker, 2014).
2. Alarming issues surrounding eating dog.
Because of a large number of Vietnamese who love to eat dog, the demand for dog meat becomes enormous. According to the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA), approximately 5 million dogs are killed in Vietnam annually for human consumption, which makes the country the world’s second biggest consumer of dog meat after China. Meanwhile, the number of dogs that traders purchase then resell to restaurants cannot be sufficient to meet this sizable demand. Therefore, many people seek for different ways that seem to be negative to resolve this inadequacy.
2.1. Illegal dog