Vietnamese youth rally against dog slaughter and animal cruelty

Nearly 100 youngsters and their parents gathered at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi on October 16th to demonstrate against the dog meat business and animal cruelty in Vietnam.

October 17, 2016 | 15:11

(VNF) - Nearly 100 youngsters and their parents gathered at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi on October 16^th to demonstrate against the dog meat business and animal cruelty in Vietnam.

The rally was organized by the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam with the slogan: “Stop eating dog meat and the mistreatment of animals”.

From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., children sang, danced and chanted slogans directed by activists. Participants wore neon green tank tops with graphic pictures attached to their backs. “Please stop eating dog meat – Dogs are man’s best friend” – one sign reads.

Vietnamese youth rally against dog slaughter and animal cruelty

“Please stop eating dog meat – Dogs are humans’ most loyal friends,” said the graphic pictures attached to the participant. (Photo: VnExpress/Quynh Trang)

The children later drew their own opinions about the topic using pencils and crayons. “Rhino horns equal nails” and “Save our planet” were among the most popular.

The event attracted tourists’ attention and the young activists were soon joined spontaneously by families strolling along the walking streets.

“Rhino horns equal nails. They cannot cure”. (Photo: VnExpress/Quynh Trang)

Tue Dong, the organizer and representative of the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam, said: “Our events vary every week. We strive to raise awareness about the environment, nature, animals, traffic…, topics that are often neglected in society nowadays.”

This is the fourth time the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam has organized an event of this kind. The last ones included a sponsored run for the environment and looking at the impacts of littering.

According to the Asia Canine Protection Alliance, Vietnam kills at least five million dogs per year, making it the second biggest consumer of dog meat in the world after China. The country has also been listed as the biggest hub for illegal rhino horn trafficking in the world for the past six years. Although, the U.S.-based wildlife conservation group WildAid noted that Vietnam's rampant ivory trade had backed down in recent years./.