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Southeast Asia

Vietnam

Vietnam is the country at the centre of three of WARN's most urgent appeals: moon-bear bile-farming retirement, the cat meat trade, and pangolin trafficking interdiction.

An Asiatic black bear with a distinctive crescent-shaped white chest patch in a forested sanctuary in northern Vietnam

Vietnam is a Southeast Asian country where WARN's planned work focuses on three connected welfare problems: ending the moon-bear bile-farming industry in partnership with the national phase-out, the cat meat trade that handles several million cats per year, and pangolin and big-cat-part trafficking demand reduction.

Key Facts About Vietnam

  • Bile farming officially banned since 2005; national phase-out continuing with several hundred bears still on private farms.
  • Several million cats slaughtered each year for the cat meat trade, predominantly in the north.
  • Major demand-market country for trafficked rhino horn, pangolin scales and tiger bone.
  • Vietnam is home to the Indochinese tiger, moon bear, sun bear and slow loris.
  • Our planned Vietnam work centres on sanctuary support for retired bile bears and cat-meat-trade rescue.
  • Several hundred moon bears may still remain on private bile farms despite the national phase-out.
  • Vietnam is a major demand market for rhino horn, pangolin scales and tiger bone.

What is the wildlife situation in Vietnam?

Vietnam is both a wildlife source and a wildlife demand country. The Annamite range hosts a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. Urban demand markets — particularly Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City — drive the consumption end of the regional wildlife trade in pangolins, rhino horn and big-cat bone.

What is WARN preparing to do in Vietnam?

Three connected programmes: (1) a forested moon-bear sanctuary in northern Vietnam to receive bears retired from closing bile farms; (2) support for partner rescues working against the cat meat trade; (3) demand-reduction work on traditional-medicine wildlife products.

Why Vietnam matters

Three of WARN's largest single-species appeals (moon bears, cats, pangolins) all converge in Vietnam. National policy momentum on bile farming and the cat trade gives a real window for rescue capacity to scale up to meet demand.

Moon-bear sanctuary transition

As bile farms close, bears need lifetime forest sanctuary care — they cannot return to the wild after years in cages. WARN's planned northern Vietnam site is designed for veterinary surgery, quarantine and climate-controlled dens.

Cat meat trade in the north

Several million cats are slaughtered annually for the cat meat trade, predominantly in northern provinces. Partner grants fund seizure rescue, quarantine and demand-reduction work.

Threats to Wildlife in Vietnam

Bear-bile farming

Cat and dog meat trade

Traditional-medicine wildlife trade

Wet markets

Habitat fragmentation

What WARN Funds in Vietnam

We are preparing a forested sanctuary site in northern Vietnam with veterinary surgery facilities, climate-controlled dens, and quarantine wings — designed to accept moon bears as the remaining farms close. Supporting partner work funds cat-meat-trade rescue and trafficked-wildlife sanctuary capacity.

Key Species in Vietnam

Vulnerable

Moon bear (Asiatic black bear)

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Vulnerable

Sun bear

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Critically Endangered

Sunda pangolin

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Endangered

Indochinese tiger

Endangered / Vulnerable

Slow loris (multiple species)

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Vietnam FAQ

Is the cat meat trade legal in Vietnam?
Vietnam has not formally banned the cat meat trade nationally, though several cities have committed to phase-out. WHO has documented the trade's role in rabies transmission.
Are bile-farm bears released into the wild?
No. Almost no rescued bile-farm bear can be released — they have spent years in cages, have skeletal damage and chronic disease, and require lifetime sanctuary care.
Is bile farming still legal in Vietnam?
Bear bile extraction has been officially banned since 2005, with a continuing national phase-out. Several hundred bears may still remain on private farms awaiting sanctuary placement.
Does WARN run bile-farm raids?
No. WARN funds partner sanctuary capacity and rescue placement as farms close. Enforcement remains a government and partner responsibility.
Why is Vietnam outside the original five-country list?
Vietnam is now part of WARN's expanded 17-country partner network, with planned moon-bear, cat-trade and pangolin programmes.
What is the Indochinese tiger status?
Endangered, with tiny remaining wild populations. In-network tiger work is concentrated in Indonesia and Malaysia; Vietnam remains important educational context.
Can slow lorises be rehabilitated in Vietnam?
Specialist rescue is possible when animals are seized early. Slow loris appeal funding in-network focuses on Indonesia and Malaysia partners.
How does Vietnam connect to Cambodia snaring?
Many species snared in Cambodia are trafficked north through Vietnam to demand markets — a linked regional welfare problem.

Rescue Guides for Vietnam

Focused pages for the specific animal rescue searches connected to Vietnam, from trafficking response to sanctuary and veterinary care.

Malaysia · Wildlife trafficking

Pangolin Rescue in Malaysia

Pangolin rescue in Malaysia focuses on intercepting trafficked Sunda pangolins, stabilising seized animals, and releasing suitable survivors into protected habitat through specialist rehabilitation partners.

Southeast Asia · Companion animal rescue

Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Southeast Asia

The dog and cat meat trade in Southeast Asia moves companion animals through high-stress capture, transport and slaughter routes; rescue depends on enforcement, shelter capacity and demand reduction.

Southeast Asia · Exotic pet trade

Slow Loris Pet Trade Rescue

Slow loris pet trade rescue is difficult because trafficked lorises often arrive with clipped teeth, stress injuries and specialist dietary needs after being taken from the wild for viral exotic pet demand.

Malaysia · Transit routes

Malaysia Wildlife Trafficking

Malaysia wildlife trafficking matters because the country sits on key regional routes for pangolins, birds, reptiles and big-cat parts, making customs detection and live-animal rescue capacity especially important.

Pangolin rescue · Seizure response

What Happens to Seized Pangolins?

Seized pangolins are assessed by specialist teams, stabilised in quiet quarantine, treated for stress or injury, and released only if they are healthy, wild-behaving and have safe habitat available.

Slow loris · Pet trade injury

Rescued Slow Loris Teeth Removed

Slow loris teeth are often cut or pulled by traders to prevent biting; rescued lorises with dental damage need urgent veterinary care and may be unable to return to the wild.

UK donors · International cat welfare

Help Stray Cats Abroad

From the UK, you can help stray cats abroad by funding neutering, vaccination, emergency treatment, community cat care and shelter support in countries where local capacity is limited.

Vietnam · Breaking enforcement

400+ Stolen Cats Rescued in Vietnam Police Raid (June 2026)

In June 2026, police in Tay Ninh Province and Ho Chi Minh City dismantled an alleged cat-theft ring, recovering more than 400 live cats, around 80 dead cats on ice, and arresting nine people; welfare groups later reunited 40+ cats with owners.

Vietnam · Cat rescue

Cat Meat Trade in Vietnam

The cat meat trade in Vietnam captures, transports and slaughters cats through high-stress trade routes; rescue support funds seizure response, quarantine, veterinary care and shelter placement.

UK donors · Dogs and cats abroad

Donate to Help Dogs and Cats Abroad

UK supporters can donate to help dogs and cats abroad by funding partner-led veterinary care, neutering, vaccination, emergency rescue, shelter capacity and humane alternatives to culling or meat-trade suffering.

UK donors · Meat trade intent

Donate to Stop the Dog and Cat Meat Trade

UK supporters can donate to help stop the dog and cat meat trade by funding partner-led seizure rescue, quarantine, rabies-risk veterinary treatment, shelter capacity and demand-reduction work — with Indonesia and Malaysia as WARN's current in-network focus.

Vietnam · Bear bile farming

Donate to Moon Bear Bile Farm Rescue

You can donate to moon bear bile farm rescue through WARN at /appeals/moon-bears — gifts fund partner-led sanctuary placement, veterinary care and lifetime support for bears rescued from bile extraction farms in Vietnam and Indonesia within the 17-country partner network.

UK donors · Local versus international

Donate to a Local Animal Shelter — UK & Abroad Routes

To donate to a local animal shelter in the UK, contact your nearest registered rescue or council pound directly for money, supplies or volunteering — WARN does not operate local UK shelters, but UK donors who want to help shelter dogs and cats abroad can fund partner-led CNVR and quarantine through /appeals/karachi-dogs and /appeals/dog-cat-meat across the 17-country network.

UK donors · Symbolic cat adoption

Adopt a Cat Symbolically from the UK

To adopt a cat into your UK home, contact your nearest registered cat rescue or branch for rehoming — WARN does not place cats in UK households, but you can symbolically adopt a cat from £5/month at /adopt/cat to fund partner-led TNVR, vaccination and meat-trade quarantine in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

UK donors · Cat sponsorship

Sponsor a Cat from the UK

You can sponsor a cat from the UK through WARN from £5/month at /adopt/cat or /donate/monthly — sponsorship is pooled recurring support for trap-neuter-vaccinate-return, rabies-risk quarantine after seizures and kitten foster capacity in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, not naming, visiting or adopting an individual cat in a UK shelter pen.

UK donors · Shelter dog sponsorship

Sponsor a Shelter Dog from the UK

To sponsor a shelter dog in a UK kennel, contact your nearest registered rescue directly — WARN shelter dog sponsorship from £5/month at /adopt/dog funds partner-led CNVR, rabies vaccination and emergency shelter triage for street dogs abroad, not a named dog in a UK shelter pen.

UK donors · Cat charity donations

Donate to a Cat Charity from the UK

You can donate to cat charity from the UK through WARN at /appeals/dog-cat-meat or /donate in GBP — gifts fund community cat TNVR, vaccination and meat-trade quarantine through partners in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, while local UK cat rescue remains the route through your nearest registered branch.

US donors · Symbolic cat adoption

Adopt a Cat from a Charity in the US

To adopt a cat into your US home, contact your nearest local shelter, humane society or cat rescue for rehoming — WARN does not place cats in US households, but you can symbolically adopt a cat from $5/month at /adopt/cat to fund partner-led TNVR, vaccination and meat-trade quarantine in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

US donors · Cat sponsorship

Sponsor a Cat from the United States

You can sponsor a cat from the US through WARN from $5/month at /adopt/cat or /donate/monthly — sponsorship funds community cat TNVR, vaccination and meat-trade quarantine through partners in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, not ownership of an individual cat in a US shelter.

US donors · Shelter dog sponsorship

Sponsor a Shelter Dog from the United States

To sponsor a shelter dog in a US kennel, contact your nearest local shelter or humane society directly — WARN shelter dog sponsorship from $5/month at /adopt/dog funds partner-led CNVR, rabies vaccination and emergency shelter triage for street dogs abroad, not a named dog in a US shelter pen.

US donors · Cat charity donations

Donate to a Cat Charity from the United States

You can donate to cat charity from the US through WARN at /appeals/dog-cat-meat or /donate in USD — gifts fund community cat TNVR, vaccination and meat-trade quarantine through partners in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, while local US cat rescue remains the route through your nearest shelter or humane society.

Donor intent · Shelter giving

Donate to an Animal Shelter

To donate to a local animal shelter, contact your nearest registered rescue or humane society directly for money, supplies or volunteering — WARN does not operate local shelters, but donors who want to help shelter dogs and cats abroad can fund partner-led CNVR and quarantine through /appeals/karachi-dogs and /appeals/dog-cat-meat across the 17-country network.

Help the Animals of Vietnam

Your donation funds the rescue teams, sanctuaries, and programmes protecting wildlife and street animals across Vietnam.

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