Several Vietnamese have recently become interested in raising fighting dogs despite wide criticism.

A meeting of dog breeders in Hanoi

Pitbulls are a recent introduction to Vietnam, but have quickly become sought after by dog-lovers and dog fighters alike.

Many unfortunate pitbulls that were imported or bred in Vietnam are forced to undergo a hard life to keep them vicious. One trainer named Minh said, "In order to train a pitbull to be a good fighter, you have to restore their cruelest instincts.

Swimming part of training

Dog fighting continues to spread in the country. Several members of the public have taken notice of the inhumane treatment of these animals, but it does not seem to have stopped the growing "sport".

Dog fighting brings in a steady flow of revenue for those willing to organise and participate in the cruel activity. Domestically bred pitbulls have become more popular, and can cost as much as VND8 million (USD378.7).

Looser in a dog fight

“A dog fight attracts betting worth around VND50 million (USD2,366) and betting even reaches hundreds of millions of VND each in some cases,” Minh noted.

“These games can  bring about no benefits, only encourage violence among humans,” one member of the public commented.