Posted on 10/15/2013 11:05:11 PM PDT by TexGrill
(Reuters) - Relatives offered words of comfort to a teary-eyed woman paying her last respects as an undertaker slammed shut the door of the cremation chamber and flames engulfed the small coffin of a cherished family member.
The hastily arranged prayers, cremation and scattering of ashes in Vietnam's capital was for Capi, a 13-year-old dog that died that day after a battle with diabetes. Capi's owner had called Bao Sinh Dog-Cat Resort, a one-stop shop with services rivalling anything on offer to humans.
"I'm so glad this place exists. Otherwise I wouldn't know what to do with Capi's body," said Nguyen Thanh Huyen, a teacher.
FINANCIAL COMMENTARIES AND GUIDESADVERTISEMENTPOWERED BY Royal Mail Report Royal Mail Report Why Royal Mail Shares Could be a Bargain Buy Download FREE ReportGulf Keystone Petroleum Gulf Keystone Petroleum GKP: Is the company still an attractive takeover target? Download Free Now The pet resort - with a spa, hotel, clinic and crematorium - is testament to changing times in Vietnam, where a love for dogs goes beyond the soups and barbecues that have earned the country an unsavoury reputation as the global hub of canine cuisine.
Capi, a Japanese Chin, was a family member, Huyen said. Like many Vietnamese who buy fashionable breeds such as Chihuahuas and poodles, they draw a clear distinction between the dogs they give homes to and the ones they eat in restaurants.
Expensive breeds are becoming popular among the wealthy as status symbols or as guard dogs for grand homes.
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.reuters.com ...
Oops! Well at least you get a reminder of recipes for some delicious doggie treats.
Cheers!
WOOF
No problem. I go through a routine of posting Asia stories. Sometimes, I do re-posts by accident.
A friend of my husband’s moved to a village in Vietnam to teach. He sent a recent photo and has lost a lot of weight. My husband was amazed. I wasn’t. Other than variations on fried rice and the occasional dog what is there to eat?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.