# Hundreds of cats stolen for food in Vietnam rescued by police, welfare group says

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-06-17 08:07 UTC · Category: World

## Executive Summary
Vietnamese authorities have dismantled a major animal theft ring, recovering over 400 cats intended for the meat trade.

## Intelligence Brief
Police in Vietnam have conducted a raid resulting in the rescue of more than 400 cats. The operation targeted an organized crime ring involved in the theft of animals for the purpose of meat production.


Coverage from outlets including the Associated Press, BBC, Al Jazeera, and The Guardian emphasizes that the animals were recovered ahead of slaughter. Reports also note that dozens of the rescued cats have already been reunited with their owners.


Future developments will depend on the findings of the ongoing police investigation into the criminal network. It remains to be seen what further actions authorities will take regarding the suspects involved in the theft ring.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| wdtimes.com | AP Trending SummaryBrief at 10:48 a.m. EDT | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiyAFBVV95cUxOdlNOekdZVklYeFhZNkFwRmVLWWZsNUs3enNPWnR3c0t5TTEwZFdTc09QeE14MFVPUm9pbFZTbVI1UWZXOGlxWmhxOURzTVBtUmotalJsS2lwemFrc0NOVF9iNVNiTEIzSGZsQnlOUUsyVzZBcVpZX1RQQmM2VTJRZXRVNXlTYjEwV25hOVpvLTluV1B2Z3N1WkR6bTJuT2NGT1VUaXduQko3c3oyUWZNUkFoQ3JjN0VKeUZXbGlUbXlNOHB4aTBOcA?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | Police rescue hundreds of cats from being eaten in Vietnam with bust of major animal theft ring | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiigFBVV95cUxOOU5zLVBjQkNDZnR2NjRYMEc4TDR5LURWWENrOHhjVFZ2Yi04OG5maTBQTzVIUTgwVU1CeGNISFh0VFN4M1hCN3NhUWR1TUJ6SW1mZ3ZWWTktNW9jT3VNWGt3VHZzd0dMd2V6N3Znd3ZyblNrWlZZR0tkdEhiRVpKbldoRTh6bFBDUWc?oc=5) |
| AP News | Police rescue more than 400 cats from being eaten in Vietnam in a bust of a major animal theft ring | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxNaF96dXlhRWdFTHJkd0N6OEFmX3dhSVlkbmpNN2E3S3B0QkRTelM3bUpNV2pwRUQyNmhQSXJlYkZKUm9PLUhlTFQ4azl6eXBVc2xMWFZNa0pYdjVfdlpKZGVJTUEwQU5SczkyY1V4TDAxUWdzQ2VUQTJoVzcwUkpqcThMUW12Z2ZTUDRPSmxhTTMwMkZCZ1V3WGcyWUtzV3JtMGxVbGV5bGNPM28?oc=5) |
| WPLG Local 10 | Police rescue more than 400 cats from being eaten in Vietnam in a bust of a major animal theft ring | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi4AFBVV95cUxPdmZIQzUyeV9faWhVTXVSWUV1WlFhWUU5My1WZDY4RWlfWXdYX2lLbEFoYk1wZVlZd2ZKMVZjQTNfVW5ZUjJweVEtSm5YLWtIdGpubFV2UlkxdnV2cGV6REkzZVlRUXhkVlUxQ2ZIQzJMZVFfckp2bWljeUJUUm5tV01Pay1DUjhEVENMT2w3MTlwYS03NHlHQ055dWtlYUdOWll0T3VGeno5LTlpelFRWmRKcTFpeDRTbklpLVF0SjN1cWRRYXVxbWFqUC05dmRfSVFGcGlBLUdMOTI3aFFQQQ?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | Vietnamese police rescue hundreds of cats from being eaten with bust of major animal theft ring | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikAFBVV95cUxPN3hSVWhEc09kcGw4VHRnRzVjcUI3ODh6V1VKMXp2eXg3S3hhVUt1WWdxZ0FkX2dSTkdHelNjSnpuN0d6Z09pZjktWHRBci1sVDVnMzlWRXZYVkpfNEhfRV9IVWNDd0FoMGtDaXBfcy01enhRRWtHU1E4S192NWVZNl9oQnB1d2RSOUh1M01PN2g?oc=5) |
| Al Jazeera | Vietnam police rescue more than 400 cats from animal theft crime ring | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxOZHZkUTBJN19LNElYaFlDUDB4X0lBZGV3bWxFZ19YSkRuNzN0V3dwZW9YdTRJaWJlT01fUDUtb3VPYzVGMmJGTTA2NDNNNmt6UjhQdlp4ejNXTDFWWnpkODlhcmMyR2d6dkt1d2ZGR2JlM2NBUXdHMERCMFZyUUxaMjlNYlhrZ2NPbzJaRjJ0OV9LMWRYUXVhQ2ozb25xTFhraVHSAacBQVVfeXFMTVU2cUN6YUF6S20wb3NTRVlTMnBYYjhyc2xVTGNsNkJlajVTZEltdVBmU0pCbFJGWmRnZXJ5dThvTHpLdmpqWnAwZ0VsNFVsTUVNTnFzOUwxZWdweGRQdlN4M0JYeUo4RVYxRUJRYnlRaUlaWnNRT1JTUFpoLXkyYjJSOUNXVmRvWUVEWDZrbFYzamtNWm5lVGZhTzdPY3J6UzZzQ3ZTMjQ?oc=5) |
| The Guardian | Vietnam police rescue hundreds of cats stolen for meat by crime ring | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxOUWJMZkFZbGg3bFo5MWRDNTJWY0trUjIzZ1ZjWHVFMjc3X1BmeUo3S3BBcWszcjhxM1pTcjdtaDNhUEp2Y080VEJZcE55eExkdUtUTEJOd2tnYlU1ZEFtaElqZmVRNVh1b25ib2hZWVo4OWlEd2NxbWFDMFZmQ3pvTVV2T05YOXlIbzJMb2ZneWYwZGNGV0tNeGlTaTU3M0lNVDVrbQ?oc=5) |
| guardonline.com | Vietnam-Cat Rescue | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqAFBVV95cUxQcWZQWWpkb182LUNReWtrbXJqMkpXVkljdFEzS0xwcE1yWm9CbTQ2VFBVOGQ2ckg2WGE1YlFtR2h3aUVGRUFsYnJlTkxlWUw2LXBJNEpBemEweU1JSlNyQzdPSEdJTncyd2VtaGdIalNhRXl2cnBYUFltUS1sVHh1R1FHeGVrMDVkMy1vaGxtSHYyQXUwYXFyQmlxUFlEZWFaYkFYR0RrT3k?oc=5) |
| Malay Mail | Vietnam police rescue 400 cats from cat-meat theft ring as dozens reunited with owners | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi2AFBVV95cUxOcW8tandtTk1kVzJCOGk1SU1mZGxvWTg3QUpvWlY2a3JRRWJiLVN2eWlpWnZGVHFPSy1LMzlsYTBPdUpSNi1rRklmTnk2cmgwdVF0TTJvY2J6ejFOVjdsd3lxNkhYSlh4a2ZaRUU4MVdwT2hmU2ZsemRacTdyWW4wV3B4c1hDTkVuUnljazdCOVpZaGt6WU80YXVqX0l3S0xFeS03SXBZdlhvVXY3aEZxV19HQWZ6N3FXZ0lUUHVLNkdBUlE4X1RqMGZ3bThwS0dFemI1Skt2cXPSAd4BQVVfeXFMTWVHWDJEX29xODlVdXRjR19KcWxQdktmSFlkdW8zbVVkS3pYRG1lU2poY1VnNHdjTGJtOVJuZGY4RWRlM2lHMXgzR0REazQ5akNtTFE4ZW1ZcXNJX2EzbWd6ZGlmZE83OHBqRS1aRWppbEduQTlzTWY4RDN) |
| Euronews.com | Vietnam cats rescued from slaughter as police bust theft ring | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwwFBVV95cUxOcExxT3BTMXJxVzEycTBNR3k5NVVTTHpocFZqV0cwNE5JNEJwcUtkWVVlMVlJbHZ6UVZkU0lNZGpmUHJLQVB5U3hjU0ttWC1FR05XU25oQUpBNENDZnEzdjVuSzUxcnh5SWpvckVwNkxkSFpjUi0zWmZJMndYT0hLTHZMekdCVVgwZGcxYUdGNkpwU3NwU09PNG1DUWRRRXBlYnNDbWxjMk1IaGRNa3pPM1dVQXpNQ090dFhzZ21tajBJQms?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | Police rescue hundreds of cats from being eaten in Vietnam with bust of major animal theft ring | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilAFBVV95cUxNR20wN3Z6di00dVJheF9oeUhjcXg0ZF9oMmVmWmdyZjF6eXVYWmJHUkdycVdBQUZFbWVQQTdSUG54Zi1JODMtSWRtN0ZyTzZzMnZwdTJmOTB4dVBxbjdSX3oxNC1wLU9QbkRZSC1pSWhiR1gxelhrWjZoUWxXTE5WOWtQRDV3ZTRtclF6TnN5ZTZjMVk1?oc=5) |
| BBC | Hundreds of cats stolen for food in Vietnam rescued by police, welfare group says | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiWkFVX3lxTFB1eENiTmJ3V3F1Zzh2VnpncFNPQ2Q4NGhjbTBDYXhhZzhzWFg4SjVyRVlYaWZ0RExqdUw4dnUtNnZnT3NabE5XdWZmQnYzYmUzVlN6Z3ZaeDFRQQ?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-06-17/hundreds-of-cats-stolen-for-food-in-vietnam-rescued-by-police-welfare-group-says*