A big issue for many dog owners is theft. Thousands of pet dogs are stolen every year, snatched from their doorways and from the hands of their owners. In this land of motorbikes, a quick getaway is easy as pie. One man drives while another man grabs, making fast money from the relocation of someone’s beloved pet. It’s a sad fact and a very real risk that affects many a Saigon dog’s lifestyle. You will almost never see someone taking a dog for a walk in Ho Chi Minh City. Pooches are often kept either inside the house or at their doorways, under the watchful eyes of their owners. If they need to go potty, it’s always with a family escort. There’s no running around and chasing a frisbee here.
According to News Site Tuoi Tre, last year several people were killed in the midst of an attempted dog theft. Passions run high on both sides – from the thieves who can make a mean living from their capture, and from the owners who fiercely love their pets.
District 7, where the theft is said to have taken place, is one of Saigon’s wealthier areas. The dog owning community here has made efforts to allow themselves to grow. There is a weekly dog walking event at a local park, where like-minded pooch-loving people can gather and let their dogs enjoy some well-earned, rare exercise time. It’s a welcome activity, and an example of the societal change. Decades ago a dog park would have been seen as silly as someone taking a chicken for a walk.
You can spot bigger dogs at the park such as Huskies and Malamutes, who probably are more averse to being cooped up. Although their fur may make them unsuitably dressed for the climate. A former student of mine kept a Malamute in his airconditioned apartment. When asked if he often let the brute out of his house, he shot me a grave look and sounded a firm no.
The dog meat trade isn’t the only motivation for dog theft. It is the growing love for dogs, which can coerce owners into forking out unsightly sums to have their dogs returned to them. Ransom, in other words.
According to website Vietnam Pets, dog thieves can make something up to a few months salary from selling a dog back to its owner. There are stolen pet markets on Hoang Hoa Tham and Duong Kim Nguu, amongst several others. The police do little to combat dog theft. So it’s usually up to the owners to source their dogs and buy them back. The advice on the site says to “put on a poker face,” as showing emotion or grief will make the return price of your stolen pooch higher.
One notable dog seller does business near the intersection between Vo Van Tan and Nam Khi Khoi Nghai. Here on most days you can see a group of people displaying puppies. They sit scrambling over each other in cages from the back of a motorbike. It is not uncommon for stolen dogs to be bred to make more dogs to sell. A cute puppy could fetch more money if its cute factor is high.
It’s apparent that pet ownership in Vietnam comes with some risk. Your dog runs the risk of being stolen for ransom money or someone’s dinner. Your dog’s lifestyle may be compromised by this risk, leading them to lead more sedentary, indoor lives.
But the dog owners of Saigon live with these risks. They sure love their pooches. And let me convince you with a real life example.
Our neighbour on Le Van Sy street keeps a Chihuahua. Her name is Su. She is a brown, pot-bellied little thing that can be seen dozing in the doorway in the shade from the sun.