Hanoi trains veterinary officers in humane euthanasia standards

The event took place in Hanoi on May 21, organised by the Hanoi Sub-Department of Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Medicine in collaboration with Soi Dog Foundation and SBCC Vietnam Social Enterprise. More than 50 veterinary officers, staff, and pet clinics from 14 pilot wards across the city attended.

The conference was part of a project approved by Hanoi People's Committee last July, which aims to pilot a model for rabies prevention and the phased transition away from dog and cat meat trading (DCMT) in selected wards of the city. The project has two strategic objectives: to help Vietnam achieve its national target of zero human rabies deaths by 2030, and to support sustainable livelihood transitions for DCMT households, while progressively raising animal welfare standards in line with international norms.

The training was structured around three thematic modules. The first covered the legal framework and professional responsibilities, including updates to current regulations, identifying gaps in national standards on humane euthanasia, and introducing animal welfare frameworks from the World Organisation for Animal Health and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association.

The second module focused on practical techniques and standard operating procedures, guiding participants through the internationally recognised two-step humane euthanasia protocol and the application of the IFAW Decision-Making Algorithm.

The third module addressed veterinary staff mental health and communication skills, covering compassion fatigue, prevention of occupational trauma, and professional communication with stakeholders.

"This is a technical procedure and an exercise of public service responsibility and administrative standards in urban management," said Ngo Dinh Loat, deputy director of Hanoi Sub-Department of Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Medicine. "When frontline veterinary staff are fully equipped with the knowledge and tools to handle animals humanely and in compliance with regulations, state management agencies will have a solid foundation for effective disease control, public health protection, and the progressive alignment of the capital's urban governance with international standards."

Faizan Jalil, senior manager at Soi Dog Foundation, said, "Humane euthanasia is the minimum standard that any responsible veterinary system must aspire to. Experience from implementation across Southeast Asian countries demonstrates that when frontline veterinary workers receive systematic training in animal welfare, disease control capacity –particularly for rabies – improves markedly. This training conference shows that Vietnam is ready to change, and Soi Dog Foundation is proud to be a partner on that journey."

Bui Thi Duyen, director of SBCC Vietnam Social Enterprise

Bui Thi Duyen, director of SBCC Vietnam Social Enterprise – the unit responsible for behaviour change communication strategy and direct implementation of project activities – said, "Behavioural change does not begin with regulations; it begins with the awareness and intrinsic motivation of those who carry them out. This conference equips participants with technical skills and builds the foundation for frontline veterinary staff to deeply understand the responsibility and science behind each procedure – while also being protected in terms of mental health throughout their practice. This is precisely the core mechanism that behaviour change communication aims for: when practitioners act correctly because they understand and believe, that change becomes truly sustainable and capable of spreading within the community."

Tran Thi Nguyen, a veterinary officer from Ha Dong ward and a conference participant, said, "This scientific and humane protocol helps us handle real-world situations with greater precision and confidence. The programme's focus on practitioners' psychological wellbeing is an essential and deeply humanistic approach that helps us sustain our motivation and resilience over the long term."

Following the conference, the organising partners will continue to support each ward veterinary station in developing internal standard operating procedures, monitoring the application of knowledge in field practice, and researching a concrete legal framework for humane euthanasia within urban veterinary management in Vietnam.

The pilot model across 14 wards in Hanoi is expected to serve as a reference for other cities and provinces nationwide as they develop animal welfare standards and control of zoonotic diseases.

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