Residents in Vietnam's capital have been told to stop eating dog meat because it hurts the city's image and improper slaughtering of the animals could spread rabies.
For many Vietnamese, dog meat is a delicacy that is thought to increase stamina.
Hanoi Vice Mayor Nguyen Van Suu said in a message on the city's website that slaughtering and consuming dog and cat meat are disturbing to foreigners and "negatively impact the image of a civilised and modern capital."
Suu instructed local governments to raise awareness of the risk of rabies when raising dog and cat meat.
Caged dogs crammed into a car after they were seized en-route to Vietnam headed for dinner tables, where dog meat is eaten, 06 September 2011 Source: EPA
The move is part of a national program to stamp out rabies by 2021.
Nguyen Thi Minh, who has run a dog meat restaurant in Hanoi for more than 20 years, said there are no risks of rabies because her restaurant selects healthy dogs and the meat is properly cooked.
"People eat dog meat and there's no problem," she said. "I serve customers from South Korea, the United States and other countries."
