Tran Quang Tan, 51, along with his wife Le Thi Oanh, 44, and son-in-law Nguyen Manh Dat, 26, were found guilty of working at the restaurant in Mong Kok earlier this year, the SCMP reported. Tan owned the establishment, while Oanh and Dat worked illegally.
The trio, illegal immigrants in Hong Kong, admitted to selling dog and cat meat at the restaurant at the trial on Friday.
Authorities raided the premises in February following a tip-off from an undercover officer. They found several Vietnamese nationals at the unit, which contained a kitchen, cooking utensils, Vietnamese-language menus for dog and cat meat dishes, along with business records, Dimsum Daily reported.
During the search, 34 bags of animal flesh, believed to have been smuggled into Hong Kong by boat, were found. Prosecutors stated that the bags contained dog and cat meat.
Tan and Oanh were found to have either managed bills or prepared food in the kitchen, according to court testimonies. Their son, Tran Nhat Minh, was also accused of assisting but pleaded not guilty.
The sale and slaughter of dog and cat meat are prohibited in Hong Kong, with violators facing up to six months in prison.
In addition, illegal immigrants in Hong Kong are barred from any form of employment or starting businesses, offenses that can result in prison sentences of up to three years.
While Vietnam does not ban the consumption of dog meat, the government is taking steps to curb the practice. Hoi An, a popular tourist town in central Vietnam, was the first to begin phasing out dog and cat meat back in 2021 in order to eliminate rabies and create a tourist-friendly experience.
In Hanoi, several dog and cat meat establishments have been shutting down as the capital turned its back on its consumption. The Hanoi Department of Animal Health reported in 2018 that the number of dog and cat meat shops in Hanoi had dropped from 1,100 to around 800.
Global animal welfare organization Four Paws said in a 2021 report on dog and cat meat consumption in Vietnam that 88% of surveyed Vietnamese supported banning dog and cat meat trafficking.
Comments are closed.