5 Asian countries where people eat cats and dogs

We are all aware that a particular tribe in Nigeria is famous for their consumption of dog meat. So, while it might come as a shock that certain groups of people also eat cats, the fact that they consume dogs as well might not be as surprising.

However, some of these people take eating dog meat to a whole new level.

Some even go to extreme lengths by snatching these dogs from their owners, knocking them unconscious, and then selling them on the black market. This is called smuggling and kidnapping. Or 'petnapping' in this case.

Now, let's take a look at a few countries where eating dogs and cats is the norm:

Vietnam

In Vietnam, people eat fried cat meat with beer! The preparation process is strange and gory; they use a hammer to smash the cat's head, then drown it and remove its fur. This method is also used for dogs.

Vietnam has a long history of respecting dogs, even worshipping stone statues of them to gain strength, just like their ancestors did. This hasn't stopped them from downing this 'delicacy' as you can find many restaurants across Vietnam serving both dog and cat meat.

The Vietnamese believe that eating dog meat brings good luck.

China

These Chinese are known for eating some unusual things like cockroaches, so it's not surprising that some enjoy dog and cat meat. Despite having dogs and cats as pets, many still like eating them.

They have around 130 million pet dogs in China, and it's perfectly legal to sell and eat their meat. They say it's an old tradition that eating dog meat can warm up your body, improve your blood circulation, and even boost male fertility.

South Korea

In South Korea, there are over 20,000 restaurants serving dishes made from dog meat. They even host festivals where approximately 15,000 dogs and cats are killed and consumed.

Dog farms are perched in designated places all over Korea, raising dogs for meat. Every year, South Koreans consume over 2.5 million dogs and more than 100,000 tons of dog meat.

Thailand

In Thailand, selling dog meat is serious business but it's kept under wraps. There's a place called Ta Rae along the Mekong River where they steal, smuggle, and sell dogs. These thieves use weird guns rigged to motorbike batteries to knock out the dogs. Then, they tie the unconscious animals to the back of their bikes and sell them for less than $100 each. It's a shady business in Thailand, especially during Christmas when dog meat consumption is at its peak. This heightened demand for dog meat contributes to the increase in petnapping.

Myanmar

In Myanmar, dogs were once believed to be guardians of temples and were treated like special pets for the royalty. But not anymore, things have shifted, and now people are eating them. Even though it used to be considered taboo, exporting live dogs to China has become a money-making deal. They're not only eating dogs but also cats.

People say cat meat is sweeter and more tender than dog meat but I guess we'll never be able to relate to eating a cat.