The recent brutal dog fight held by a group of young people in Hanoi has been widely opposed and greatly denounced by the public due to cruelty.

A dog fight near Hanoi’s Ngoc Khanh Lake

The dog fight was held on the banks of Ngoc Khanh Lake in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh District on Feb 6. The event attracted the attention of hundreds of curious people who surrounded the group of young people who initiated the fight.

Watching two dogs cruelly fighting with each other, many local residents raised their voices and called for an end to the fight, but the game continued with shouting and screaming.

Dog fighting rings have been on the rise recently in the country, especially in the capital city.

Local residents near Ngoc Khanh Lake said that it was not the first time such a fight has taken place there. Many have called for a ban on the "sport".

 Pham Duc Quy, deputy head of Ngoc Khanh District’s police, said after being informed of the event, local police came to the scene and forced them to stop and gave a warning to the organisers. At the scene, no betting was reported.

Under the government’s Decree 5, dated in 2007, on rabies prevention and control of animals, those who raise dogs must keep them in cages or kennels or muzzle them and lead them when walking in public places. However, this seems to be the only regulations pertaining to such events.