{"id":13617,"date":"2022-09-02T15:06:10","date_gmt":"2022-09-02T15:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/?p=13617"},"modified":"2022-09-02T15:08:38","modified_gmt":"2022-09-02T15:08:38","slug":"appalling-conditions-in-vietnamese-wet-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/2022\/09\/02\/appalling-conditions-in-vietnamese-wet-markets\/","title":{"rendered":"Appalling Conditions in Vietnamese Wet Markets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Investigation uncovers appalling and illegal conditions in Vietnamese wet markets selling dogs, cats and critically endangered wildlife.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

In August 2022, photojournalists Aaron Gekoski and Napat Wesshasartar worked with We Animals Media<\/a> and Asia for Animals (AfA) Coalition<\/a> in Vietnam to document the appalling conditions animals face in wet markets.<\/p>\n

[Content Warning: contains graphic images and footage]<\/span><\/h3>\n
\"Dogs<\/a>
Dogs destined to be killed for their meat looking out from within a small and crowded cage at a slaughterhouse on Huu Hung Street. Behind this cage lie the charred bodies of two recently killed dogs, Hanoi, Vietnam.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Since the onset of COVID-19, Asian wet markets have sparked increased global debate and controversy. The United Nations has called for countries<\/a> to suspend the sale of live wild animals at wet markets because of their risk of spreading emerging deadly diseases. Gekoski\u2019s and Wesshasartar\u2019s visuals highlight the reality of these places, providing a raw glimpse into Vietnam\u2019s dog meat trade and wet markets, and expose intense animal suffering and illegal sales.<\/p>\n

“From poor wildlife tourism venues and the bear bile industry, to the illegal wildlife and dog meat trades, Vietnam faces a host of animal welfare problems,\u201d says Gekoski. \u201cOur investigation of these industries reveals the suffering of countless animals. We witnessed dogs in cages as they awaited their turn to be butchered, and then sold on street stalls. Plus, appalling conditions at animal markets, where many endangered species are slaughtered. These markets are not only barbaric, but are hotbeds for disease and need to be investigated by the authorities.”<\/p>\n

\u201cI normally set aside my emotions and focus on the assignment,\u201d says Wesshasartar. \u201cHowever, when I have to go through all of the footage that I shot, it\u2019s heartbreaking. Seeing our companion animals being killed, hearing the sound of the injured dogs, and smelling their blood \u2013 it\u2019s horrible and unacceptable. Historically, dog and cat consumption is normal, especially during famine or world war. But Vietnam has been far from that era for years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read on to hear details of the sobering discoveries made in Vietnam\u2019s wet markets.<\/p>\n

The Cat and Dog Meat Industry<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Vietnamese government declared in 2018 that they will ban dog meat consumption by 2021. However, this is far from the truth. Gekoski documented caged dogs being killed and sold for meat to paying customers in Hanoi\u2019s public markets this year. The consumption of dog meat is more popular in the northern parts of Vietnam than the south. Even now, it is considered a delicacy by some and yet still a staple by others. Despite this, many Vietnamese are fighting to end the practice.<\/p>\n