Pet dogs in Vietnam are being stolen and kept in unspeakable conditions before they are slaughtered for their meat, according to a U.K. TV documentary.
Scores of dogs are snatched daily from their owners, crammed into cages and force-fed rice to gain weight until they are butchered and sold as part of Vietnam's profitable dog meat industry, the Channel 4 show "Unreported World" revealed.
In the past, the local demand for dog meat was met by dogs that were shipped from Thailand. But with a recent crackdown from the Thai government and the rescue group Soi Dog Foundation, poachers have had to find other sources for their product, the Mirror reported.
"In the seven years I've been working, I've stolen round 3,000 dogs, big and small," one unnamed thief told Unreported World.
Stealing dogs is not illegal in Vietnam, which leaves thieves free to steal as many as needed, making up to $100 dollars a night. But some thieves end up being killed by villagers who seek retribution for taking their beloved pets, the Mirror reported.
Once captured, the dogs make it to roadside markets on the streets of Vietnam's capital Hanoi where they are kept in holding pens, the Mirror reported. Up to 500 dogs are crammed into a single pen. Seven tons of dog meat arrives daily in the capital. From there, they are either sold to restaurants or sent to slaughter houses.
Dog meat is consumed in a number of Asian counties, including Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea and China.
In Vietnam, the dog meat industry has been fueled by an economy that has skyrocketed in the last three decades. At one dog meat restaurant, a group of patrons told Unreported World they are not concerned with where the meat comes from.
"We don't know but we don't care," one diner said. "We only care about how it tastes and we love it."
Channel 4's Unreported World airs Friday at 7:30 p.m. local time.
