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The Asia Canine Protection Alliance’s “Dog's Day Out"

On the 18th January, the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA)- founded by Change for Animals Foundation, Animals Asia, Soi Dog Foundation and Humane Society International- organised the first “Dog’s Day Out” event in Hanoi. 

 

The event attracted more than 200 guests and nearly 80 of their canine friends! This was an initiative- the first of it’s kind- to encourage a compassionate attitude towards dogs by highlighting the positive roles dogs play in Vietnamese society and raising awareness of the brutal dog meat trade.

 

As one participant explained, “Honestly, I used to eat dog meat. As the Vietnamese conception, when you are unlucky, you should eat dog meat. You will be luckier then. Furthermore, people who sell dog meat said that dog meat has a lot of protein. I maintained this habit until I started keeping a dog. When I fell in love with this animal, I can not eat dog meat anymore. Dog is friend not food.”

It was also a welcomed opportunity for Hanoi’s growing pet-owning community to share their passion for their dog friends.

The main activities of the day included free dog health checks as well as advice to dog owners on how to take good care of their pets, provided for by veterinarians and animal experts, including those from Animals Asia’s renowned Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre.

The participants’ dogs enjoyed games and competitions with prizes, including  “best rescue dog”.

 

Since it’s creation in 2013, ACPA has been working to raise the profile of- and opposition towards- the dog meat industry through partnerships with the Vietnamese government and other key stakeholders. ACPA’s activities in Vietnam to end the illegal dog meat trade include poster campaigns at key border areas for illegal traders in northern Vietnam highlighting the illegality of the trade and risk it poses to disease transmission, as well as those to control and eliminate the rabies. 

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