Vietnamese police have intercepted a truck filled with over three tons of live cats that were being smuggled into the country from China to be served at Vietnamese restaurants, according to Thanh Nien News.
A video released by Vietnamese police shows the officers discovering the cats, who are crammed tightly into bamboo cages.
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The reprieve may be a short one, however, because Vietnamese law requires that all smuggled goods be destroyed. While alive, the cats are no exception, police say. According to The Daily Mail, however, police are unsure how to proceed due to the sheer number of animals.
Cat meat is officially banned in Vietnam, because the country wants to encourage cat ownership in order to suppress the rat population. However, the animals are considered a delicacy in some parts of the country’s northern provinces, and can be purchased on the sly at some restaurants. The rising popularity of cat as a dish has led to a boom in illegal trade with China.
Vietnamese officials warn that the cats can carry a variety of diseases, including rabies and typhoid.
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