HCMC – The Hanoi Sub-Department of Animal Husbandry, Aquaculture and Veterinary Medicine under the city’s Department of Agriculture and Environment, on October 28 held a training conference on strengthening rabies prevention and supporting the gradual transition away from the dog and cat meat trade.
The event was jointly organized with the Soi Dog Foundation and Vietnam Social and Behaviour Change Communication for Sustainable Development Company (SBCC Vietnam). It forms part of a city-approved project launched in July aimed at preventing rabies and promoting sustainable livelihoods through the phased transition of dog and cat meat businesses.
The project supports Vietnam’s national goal of achieving zero human rabies deaths by 2030 and aligns with efforts to improve disease control and animal welfare management.
Conference sessions focused on rabies prevention, inter-agency coordination, and the link between the dog and cat meat trade and rabies transmission. Discussions also covered strategies to support business owners in shifting to alternative livelihoods.
According to the Vietnam Animal Health Information System, rabies outbreaks have occurred this year in 157 communes across 24 provinces and cities, leading to the culling of 323 dogs and cats. The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology reported 57 suspected human rabies deaths in 18 localities as of September 8, highlighting continued risks nationwide.
