Vietnam couple whose dogs were culled sparking backlash adopt 15 new puppies

Couple had alleged their pets were brutally killed over baseless fears that they could spread Covid

A Vietnamese couple whose emotional story had gripped the country after their 12 pet dogs were killed by authorities over the baseless fear that they could have spread Covid have now adopted a new brood of puppies – some of whom were rescued from dog meat shops.

Pham Minh Hung and his wife Nguyen Thi Chi Em have adopted 15 puppies after they received an outpouring of support and donations from people following an outrage among over the killing of their dogs, reported BBC’s Vietnamese service.

Mr Pham said they received 120 million Vietnamese dong (£3,898) from donors who raised the money after their 12 dogs were killed by authorities who said the pets could have contracted Covid, despite there being no evidence for the claim.

Mr Pham said that, despite being busy taking care of the new puppies, he was still coping with the loss of his pets, recalling that he was “despondent and cried a lot” when his dogs were killed.

He also pointed out that he was suffering from Covid at the time, something that added to his torment.

“We raised the dogs for six, seven years. I was very sad. During the Lunar New Year, we went back to the place where the dogs were killed and burnt incense for our children,” he added.

It started with Mr Pham becoming a viral sensation on social media in Vietnam after photos and videos of him and his wife travelling with a pack of dogs on motorbikes went viral.

The pictures of the dogs, some of whom wore raincoats, were perched on top of their luggage and were widely circulated as they took a 300km-long journey to escape Covid restrictions from another area in the country.

However, the story, which many on social media said provided them with comfort during tough conditions amid lockdowns, came to a tragic end when Mr Pham learned their pets were “brutally killed” by government officials without their consent in October last year.

The dogs were killed after the couple caught Covid during their journey to their hometown and were transferred to a hospital while the animals were taken to a quarantine centre.

Mr Pham alleged the pets were caned before being killed and his wife told Vice News that some of the pets were first drowned and then burned.

“Two men put my dogs in bags, submerged them in water and then threw them in fire to burn,” Ms Nguyen told the news outlet, citing witnesses.

But Mr Pham is now trying to find solace by adopting new puppies, some of whom he bought before they would have been butchered for their meat.

“Some of them looked so bad as they were locked up for their meat, so I bought them and raised them,” Mr Pham said.

He is now looking for some bricklaying work and aims to sell lottery tickets to save some money and take care of the dogs he fondly refers to as his “children”.