Police in Vietnam have arrested nine people suspected of being part of a cat theft ring. During raids in Ninh province and Ho Chi Minh City last week, authorities seized over 400 live cats and about 80 dead cats preserved in ice. At another site, officers found 21 more cats.
According to authorities, they tracked down the group on June 11 after a rise in pet thefts in Ho Chi Minh City. The suspects confessed to stealing cats across southern Vietnam for three years. They transported the animals to intermediate storage and sold them to dealers every two to three days.
Eating dog and cat meat is legal in Vietnam, but sellers need a permit proving the animals’ origin. The animal welfare organization Humane World for Animals said about 40 of the stolen cats have already been returned to their owners.
Source: www.bbc.com
