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HANOI, September 28, 2023 – Today, The Professional Department of Vietnam Oriental Traditional Medicine Association (VOTMA), Soi Dog Foundation International and Social and Behavior Change Science Agency Intelligentmedia brought together 30 Traditional Medicine practitioners to deliberate strategic solutions for the sector to control the current demand and consumption of dog and cat meat for healthcare motivations.

No one knows when and where the first dog and cat was killed and served as food in Vietnam. But dog and cat meat are associated with “nutrition” and “disease cure” which has been orally passed from generation to generation. It closely connects with the 4,000 years of Vietnam traditional medicine where animal-based remedies and ingredients are widely prescribed.

Mr.Rahul Sehgal, Director - International Advocacy, Soi Dog International Foundation

To address the persistent belief and empower the Traditional Medicine (TM) sector in the fights against dog and cat meat (DCM) trade and consumption, Soi Dog International Foundation and Intelligentmedia have been working with the Professional Department of VOTMA to inspire change of dog and cat meat traders and eaters by leveraging their role as healthcare advisors. Training the fore-front forces, i.e., TM practitioners on DCMT-related knowledge and techniques is one of the interventions.

Falling on the World Rabies Day 28 September, the training is a great opportunity to highlight the importance of anti-rabies efforts as well as remind the whole society to take urgent actions eliminating the negative consequences of DCMT including rabies-related risks.

Today’s training aimed to foster a more robust engagement and determination of the traditional medicine sector in stamping out dog and cat meat. Thirty influencing TM practitioners were convened into the training to share opinions, identify feasible solutions, and more importantly reach consensus on an action plan where they will pass on the trained knowledge and guide dog and cat meat eaters on their behavior change pathways.

Trainees are accessible to comprehensive knowledge and data relating to the trade and consumption of dog and cat for meat; possible healthcare risks to traders and eaters and methods and tools to advocate the target audience group to stop their behaviors.

Invited as an internal expert on anti-Dog Cat Meat Trade (DCMT), Mr.Rahul Sehgal, Director - International Advocacy, Soi Dog International Foundation, shared the lessons learned from international practices that could enhance Viet Nam’s performance in tackling the issue.

Mr. Tran Xuan Nguyen, Head of Professional Department, Vietnam Oriental Traditional Medicine Association

He also emphasized the importance of stopping DCMT and consumption leading to the achievement of eliminating rabies in 2030. All sectors and layers in society should stand up and show a zero-tolerance attitude and stronger socially unacceptance against this cruelty. It not only pressures the Government for harder measures but also threatens the traders and users.

Doctor, Traditional Medicine Practitioner Ngo Van Duong, Chairman of Vietnam Intensive Traditional Medicine Club said: “Dog and cat meat isn’t as nutritious as people might think. According to TM guidance, dog and cat meat is also not an outstanding cure for bone and joint-related diseases. There is no scientific evidence on the functionality of dog meat to enhance male sexual performance or cat bone glue for better bone and muscle system. But data proves that dog meat might have parasitic worms which can lead to blindness, myocarditis and respiratory failure. Rabies is another concern. Virus can be destroyed at high temperature within cooking process, but kitchen tools are vulnerable to cross-contamination which can negatively affect eaters. I never prescribe or recommend my patients to eat dog and cat meat as health supplements, in today’s modern world, there are a wide range of safe, nature-based and effective TM ingredients and rich food alternatives accessible to everyone”.

The training participants analyzed the existing gaps of legal regulations, for example a ban on DCMT, weak law enforcement, inconsistent communication strategy and lack of international collaboration in the sector.

Five Traditional Medicine practitioners representing their own Traditional Medicine Clinics in Hanoi signed a pledge against DCM trade and consumption

The event also featured the strong determination of VOTMA in tackling the issue. They urged their members, TM practitioners, students, and TM universities and clinics in Vietnam to further advocate their peers and patients in stopping the consumption of dog and cat meat for healthcare drivers.

Mr. Tran Xuan Nguyen, Head of Professional Department, Vietnam Oriental Traditional Medicine Association highlighted: “The critical need is to change the belief and behavior of dog and cat traders and eaters. VOTMA as the official voice of traditional medicine individuals and associations will lead the movement disseminating messaging discouraging the consumption of dog and cat meat further to the TM network and the whole community. We will continue collaborate with Soi Dog International to continue stronger efforts to advocate and promote other safe, legal and sustainable food alternatives.”

Eating dog and cat meat is not illegal in Vietnam, therefore, educating and changing the knowledge and attention of the target audience group is essential to drive change.

Mrs. Bui Thi Duyen, Social and Behavior Change Director of Intelligentmedia said: “Advocacy and social behavior change techniques will be utilized to address and respond to the various traditional beliefs and values that are driving the local consumption of dog and cat meat. The training is an example of how traditional medicine can influence the change of DCM eaters for animal-based remedies. If further fostering, the mechanism will achieve measurable indicators in changing the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of target audiences which helps reinforce the necessity and ensure success of a wish-to-do goal, i.e., a DCMT ban in the country”.

The training ended with five Traditional Medicine practitioners representing their own Traditional Medicine Clinics in Hanoi signed a pledge against DCM trade and consumption. It shows their public announcement against DCM trade and consumption to establish a good model agent of change, which can be replicated further in the sector.

After the training, VOTMA together with trained TM practitioners will execute an agreed action plan which expects the DCMT issues to be integrated in relevant TM events exposing to hundreds of TM individuals and patients. With that, the Vietnam TM sector partly contributes to change the KAP of DCM traders and eaters.