More than 40 of the stolen cats were returned to their owners Phuong Pham / Humane World for Animals Vietnam More than 400 cats destined for slaughter have been rescued in Vietnam after authorities broke up an alleged feline theft scheme, an animal welfare group said. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp Nine people were arrested in connection with what police described as a "criminal group specializing in stealing and collecting cats", AFP news agency reported citing the official police newspaper of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). Agents recovered more than 400 live cats and about 80 dead animals preserved in ice during operations at sites in Tay Ninh province and Ho Chi Minh City last week. Elsewhere, 21 more cats were also seized. Eating dog and cat meat is legal in Vietnam, but sellers need permits indicating the origin of the animals. Police said they tracked down the group on June 11 after investigating a spate of pet thefts in Ho Chi Minh City, according to local media. The suspects admitted to capturing and collecting cats throughout southern Vietnam over the past three years, police said. According to investigators, the suspects allegedly transported stolen cats to confinement sites before selling them to traders, with transactions occurring every two to three days. About 40 of the stolen cats were returned to their owners, Humane World for Animals said in a statement Tuesday. The organization praised local authorities for a "decisive action that saved the lives of so many animals", but highlighted that "some of them later died as a result of the ordeal". Now on g1 She added that she is providing food and other supplies to the animals still held by police while the case continues to be investigated. Police said the investigation is ongoing and have asked residents who suspect their pets were stolen to come forward to help identify the recovered animals. About five million dogs and one million cats are captured, stolen, trafficked and slaughtered for meat in Vietnam each year, according to Humane World for Animals. The organization says pets are frequently stolen from homes: dogs are often captured using poisoned bait, Tasers and iron tongs, while cats are caught with spring-loaded traps. Although the consumption of dog and cat meat remains more common in Vietnam than in other Asian countries, activists say local attitudes are changing. A 2023 poll commissioned by Humane World for Animals found growing public opposition, especially among young people and pet owners, with majorities supporting bans on both the dog and cat meat trade. We use artificial intelligence to translate this report, originally written in English. The text was reviewed by a BBC journalist before publication. Find out more here about how the BBC is using artificial intelligence (link to English text).