Humans tamed dogs a long time ago, as far back as 18,000 BC. They domesticated pigs (13,000 BC) and cows (10,000 BC) much later. If our ancestors had decided that dogs were meant to be eaten like pigs or cows or chickens, there would have been no debate on this topic. The ancient tomes on Vietnamese cuisine have never mentioned anything about dog meat. Before 1930, Hanoi only had one or two food stalls that sold dog meat. In the south, almost nobody did. While there are some irrational beliefs associated with eating dog meat, at least in Vietnam, I think people should also consider the following facts. First, dog meat isn’t as nutritious as people might think. On the contrary, the risks associated with eating it are real. Dog meat might contain parasitic worms, like the infamous Toxocara canis, which can result in blindness, myocarditis and respiratory failure. Rabies is another legitimate concern. While the virus itself can be destroyed under high temperatures while cooking, … [Read more...] about Why dogs are not meant to be eaten
Eating your own dog food
The paternal aunt
Viet Nam News by Vũ Thanh Lịch When the ashes of Mrs Thung's elder sister-in- law reached Đồng Mô commune it was already two in the morning. The night wind blew violently. The fog thickened with each passing hour. Although the headlights of dozens of cars illuminated a corner of the graveyard, she could not see the village fields clearly. Having heard that her elder sister-in-law was dying in her native village, Mrs Thung planned to return to Việt Nam from the USA only to find that her sister had died a few days before. Now, her ashes were being cleansed, washed in balmy water and re-arranged to be placed in a small terracotta coffin laid with red paper before they were buried, Mrs Thung made up her mind to come back to her homeland together with all her kin living abroad. When her car door opened, she got out. Two of her grandsons went to help her, but she refused. "Thanks but I can manage. I can walk on my native land," she said. Trying to keep her balance, she rested herself … [Read more...] about The paternal aunt
A Pair of Tufted Bulbuls
Viet Nam News by Tống Ngọc Hân Walking out of the forest, Pù put his newly-gathered bundle of firewood on the ground and sat down on a big rock. All of a sudden, he could see two tufted bulbuls savouring ripe berries on high twigs and branches, which made his mouth water. Right at that moment, Cheo turned up in smart clothes like those of a festival-goer. Cheo took a catapult off his neck, and a brown chestnut out of the breast pocket of his indigo shirt and put it on the thick and wide leather pad ready for shooting. "Don't, don't, don't shoot at them, my dear friend!" Pù shouted, trying to prevent his friend's killing. At once, the birds flapped their wings strongly and flew away. "What do you think about your marriage, my young brother?" Cheo asked Pù while he was chewing the nut. "Not too bad! If you want to find out, you might come to Chự's place," Pù replied. Cheo smiled childishly, dusted some ash off his trousers and turned away. Pù held his hand up to tell him … [Read more...] about A Pair of Tufted Bulbuls
Vietnam’s tourism does not depend on dog meat
After VietNamNet published the story "French tourists threaten to boycott Vietnam for dog meat," we have received a lot of opinions from readers. Part of them disagreed with the French visitor and part of them agreed with him. Below are the opinions of the first group. "This French man is too arrogant and disrespectful to Vietnamese. Apparently he imposed his culture on Vietnam. If the French do not eat dog meat, it does not mean that the Vietnamese must not eat dog meat, too! If he said so, perhaps I will boycott France if the French do not stop eating a horror food - snails!" wrote Thanh Hai. According this reader, throughout history, dog meat is a specialty and the quiche of the Vietnamese. The Vietnamese eat dog meat like pork, chicken, buffalo meat or beef. If saying like the French man, then the French should be vegetarian because they also raise chickens, pigs, goats, cattle and they should not slaughter them for meat. "The French also loves to eat goose liver. And if we … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s tourism does not depend on dog meat
The Vegetarian Street Dogs
He is not only a friend to the street dogs scattered all over the city. The homeless dogs who happen to live in his neighborhood often congregate at his front gate for their lunch and dinner. Exactly twenty-one of them. Ravi has named each and every one of those dogs. But before I continue, let me fill you in, chronologically, on Ravi’s back story. The first time I visited Ravikanth Shankar’s house was at the end of 1993. The year before, the Shankars had helped out a destitute Vietnamese student, giving her free room and board at their house for a month, and helping her navigate the entrance procedures for a university. That student, Diep, had received an Indian scholarship, including travel expenses. It was her first time abroad, and her first time traveling by air. But when she arrived at Bangalore, there had been no one from the university to meet her at the terminal: the semester had actually begun three weeks previously. She had been standing there, helpless and … [Read more...] about The Vegetarian Street Dogs