Facebook posts allege sale of dog meat in S'pore Vietnamese groups, woman & company accused as sellers say claims untrue

A number of Facebook posts have made their rounds on the social media platform alleging that dog meat was being illegally imported and sold in Singapore.

One such post, written by an anonymous user, appeared in the Facebook group Dogs Singapore some time between Sep. 23 and 24.

The post also included the number of an individual, allegedly linked to a company importing the meat.

When contacted by Mothership, the individual behind the number said that the claims that she was selling dog meat were untrue and her number has been misused.

While the post on Dogs Singapore has since been deleted, a Mothership reader showed that it contained screenshots of other Facebook posts published in groups for Vietnamese living in Singapore.

These posts, written in Vietnamese, purportedly peddled dog meat as "vitamin gâu gâu", a Vietnamese slang for dog meat.

Other posts in the group which claim to sell dog meat appeared to advertise various cuts of meat and listed their prices in dollars.

They also included photos which appeared to feature raw and cooked meat, although the meat's origin cannot be verified.

Meanwhile, the post on Dogs Singapore alleged that a company was behind the illicit importation.

It also included a phone number and the name of the number's owner, claiming that the number was being used for the company's PayNow transactions.

The post on Dogs Singapore, published by an anonymous user, claimed that they had gathered "concrete evidence" and was submitting a "formal report" to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Animal and Veterinary Service.

Speaking with Mothership, the individual behind the number, Pham, 28, said that she is aware of the Facebook posts.

However, the Vietnamese woman emphasised that the claims are untrue.

Pham, who is a housewife and has been residing in Singapore for about five years, said that she is not involved in any illegal trade of dog meat.

Since the posts spread on Facebook, she has received at least one call asking about her involvement.

The call was made on Sep. 23, some time between 8pm and 9pm.

The person on the call asked Pham about the claims in the post and told her that they would call the police on her if she was indeed selling dog meat in Singapore.

Pham suspects that someone might be misusing her phone number and "setting her up".

When asked if she has any guess as to who might be behind this, Pham could not give an answer.

The housewife pointed out that she now feels afraid and might make a police report.

She shared that she has also been contacted by officials from a government agency about the claims.

She has since met up with them, similarly telling them that she has no involvement in the sales of such meat.

In one comment, the anonymous user also alleged that a local company, Faith Logistics, was involved in the sale of dog meat in Singapore.

Faith Logistics is a transport company with a warehouse located at Woodlands.

When contacted by Mothership, Karen Chan, Director of Faith Logistics, referred to a Facebook post by the company addressing the allegations.

In the post, Chan said that they were aware of the allegations.

"I would like to personally reassure our customers, friends and business partners that this allegation is completely untrue," Chan wrote.

She also clarified, "We provide transportation and logistics services for our customers, and we do not sell dog meat, nor do we condone or support the sale or trading of dog meat."

Chan also noted in the post that she was a dog lover herself and shared a photo of her dog along with the post.

She told Mothership that she did so as she wanted people to see the "personal side of this situation".

"I’m a dog lover myself, and dogs are very precious to me. The allegation was upsetting to me not only as a business owner, but also personally," she commented.

On who might have made the accusations, Chan said in her Facebook post that she did not want to "point fingers" or speculate.

"We simply hope everyone will look at the facts and verify information before sharing or repeating unverified allegations," Chan said, adding that the company was "happy" to cooperate with relevant authorities and provide information to clarify the matter.

She also thanked her customers and business partners for their continued trust and support.

In response to Mothership's queries, SFA said that it is looking into the matter.

"SFA has not approved any source of dog meat," it said.

SFA added that all food imports must meet their requirements.

Illegally imported food products from unknown sources can pose a food safety risk.

Meat and meat products can only be imported by licensed importers from SFA-accredited sources.

It is an offence to sell meat and meat products that were imported without a valid licence or valid import permit.

Offenders found to be selling meat and meat products that were illegally imported shall be liable on conviction to a fine of up to S$50,000 and/or imprisonment for up to two years.

In the case of a second or subsequent conviction, offenders will be subject to a fine of up to S$100,000 and/or to imprisonment for a term up to three years.

"Food safety is a joint responsibility. While SFA puts in place and enforces regulatory measures, food importers and retailers must play their part by ensuring that the food products they bring into Singapore for sale comply with SFA's import requirements and are safe for consumption. " SFA said.

Members of the public with concerns about food safety practices should report them to SFA via the online feedback form.

At the time of writing, at least one post on the claim of illegal dog meat trade in Singapore continues to circulate on Facebook, this time in the group PHV Community - Drive Smarter Together!.

This post, which was uploaded on Sep. 23 at about 10:41pm, has since garnered 150 shares.