Hundreds of terrified cats destined for the meat trade have been rescued in what animal welfare groups described as one of the largest cat theft operations uncovered in recent years.
More than 400 live cats were found crammed into cages during raids linked to an organised network accused of stealing family pets and trafficking them for slaughter.
Police also discovered dozens of dead cats stored in ice-filled containers.
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The operation led to the arrest of nine suspects and the seizure of more than 500 cats in total, including animals recovered from multiple locations.
Investigators allege the group had been trapping and collecting cats across southern regions of the country for around three years before selling them into the meat trade.
Heartwarming scenes followed the rescue as distraught owners searched for missing pets, with more than 40 cats already reunited with their families, as reported by Need To Know.
Several pregnant cats have also since given birth after being brought to safety.
Veterinarians and volunteers have been working around the clock to care for the animals at a temporary rescue centre established following the raids.
However, some of the rescued cats later died due to the poor conditions in which they had been kept.
Karanvir Kukreja, who leads Humane World for Animals’ campaign against the dog and cat meat trade, described the case as a stark reminder of the scale of the industry.
The charity said the bust followed a police investigation into a spate of pet thefts and praised officers for preventing hundreds more animals from being slaughtered.
The rescue took place in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where police uncovered around 400 live cats in 45 cages alongside approximately 80 dead animals packed into containers of ice.
A further group of cats was recovered from a second location.
Animal welfare groups said the case has drawn fresh attention to Vietnam’s controversial cat meat trade, which remains legal under certain regulations.
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