Dog Meat in Vietnam
We’ve seen a lot of different types of meat while traveling, mostly in open air markets. We’ve seen chickens, pigs, and cows in various states of dismemberment. Sometimes the chickens are even still in cages hanging out until their time is up. We’ve seen shrimp, eels, fish (sometimes still moving after being cut in half), squid, snails, and mussels. We’ve even seen frogs and turtles (both hard and soft shelled).
We knew that dog was eaten sometimes in Asia, but we hadn’t come across it – even though there are apparently many restaurants serving it here in Hanoi. Walking through the market in Sapa, Vietnam however we came across this.
Its the head and paws of a dog. We actually saw at least three more heads, but weren’t able to get photos of them. It was strange because we saw lots and lots of relatively well looked after pet dogs in Sapa as well.
We’re not sure how to reconcile these two concepts – pets and food. Does it stem from the many different cultures/tribes in the area (i.e. one eats them and one keeps them as pets)? There’s some information on Wiki here.
Regardless of anything else, this is something that I could have gone the rest of my life without having seen. And no, I didn’t try it.
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I think that a lot of small farmers raise animals for eating and become close to them, love them very much, name them. Maybe in Vietnam a dog is seen the same way as a pig? Or a goat? I mean, really, what IS the difference, ultimately? A pig is much, MUCH smarter than a dog, why eat that? Oh, go on, make a joke about how much tastier pigs are than dogs, but what IS the difference?
For real, why do some animals get the label ‘food’ and some get to be ‘pets’? I admit it, I eat meat (but not pork) and even I am pretty revolted by this picture. But WHY? It’s not like it’s a dog I know, or a friend’s dog. Weird. It totally IS confusing, Jana.
I think what makes it more difficult when it comes to dog meat is that many of the animals are stolen. So you’d basically be eating someone’s pet.
But I agree, its a strange concept and we are really struggling with thinking about it/processing it.
Pets? Really??!? I’d have guessed one of 2 things before guessing pet: 1. puppy mill 2. street dogs.
Easier, safer, legal and faster than stealing a pet. Unless that pet is left outside without anyone watching it, and then what kind of pet is that? A pet that was raised as dogmeat? I mean, isn’t that more like poaching instead of dognappery?
I don’t think I could eat a dog either. It’s a mindfuck.