Upsetting footage of a truck load of dogs in Vietnam on their way to be killed for food has been released by animal rights activists.
The video shows numerous dogs in confined spaces on their way to a slaughterhouse where they are likely to be force-fed before they are killed.
The footage, which was shot in the central Vietnamese city of Hue, shows that some of the animals still have their collars on, which suggests that they are pets that have been stolen.
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Dogs are often treated poorly before being clubbed to death or boiled alive because the sellers think it makes the meat taste better.
Michele Brown, the CEO of Fight Dog Meat - a charity that is trying to stop the trade - said: "In Vietnam, it's believed eating tough meat makes a tough man.
"Many think dog meat boosts a man's libido, helps their joints and even cures illness. But none of this is scientifically proven.
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"The preference is for tough meat, it's like the opposite of meat eaten in the West.
"So they think by terrifying the dogs, they flood them with adrenaline and make the meat tastier."
It is thought that about five million dogs are eaten every year in Vietnam, especially in the country's capital, Hanoi.
However, although the number of restaurants selling dog meat is increasing, the numbers of people owning dogs as pets is also rising.
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This has a downside, though. Many dogs in loving homes are stolen to be trucked off to the slaughterhouse.
This latest footage was shot in 2016, but it is rare as the people who smuggle the dogs usually do so at night, under cover of darkness.
Brown decided to release the footage to try to raise awareness. It was filmed by activists who said that they believed that the truck was bound for Hanoi.
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Brown continued: "They were on a rural back road when they heard the wailing. They were horrified by what they saw and told me it still haunts them.
"These dogs are often snatched under cover of darkness. They are stunned or poisoned, then have their stomachs pumped to boost their value.
"Many die but the survivors are sold to slaughterhouses, restaurants or markets like the one I captured in Hanoi.
"This is why awareness is vital. We must pressure the government from the sidelines to break the cycle and shut the trade down.
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"These animals deserve to be protected by the laws of the land."
Other images have been published of dogs crammed into tight spaces on the back of motorbikes, as well as being dragged behind vehicles and tied up with their paws behind their backs.
Alongside people's pets, the traders also round up stray dogs to be killed and eaten.
Featured Image Credit: Caters News Agency
Topics: World News, Dogs