22 stolen dogs are seized by police in Kon Tum Province, February 29, 2020. Photo courtesy of Kon Tum Police

Mai Ngoc Vien, 33, and Dao Van Thuy, 54, are being investigated for "stealing property," a crime punishable by up to 15 years in jail.

Last Saturday, Vien and a friend drove a motorbike to Sa Thay District to steal three dogs. The duo then bought 19 other dogs for VND10 million ($430) from two unidentified sources.

Vien called on Thuy, a taxi driver, to help transport all 22 dogs for consumption purposes. Acting on a tip-off from local residents, police captured them en route.

Police are still hunting Vien's friend, who escaped on his motorbike.

Vietnam consumes an estimated five million dogs a year, second only to China's 20 million.

Many dogs that make the pot are stolen pets sold to small, unregulated abattoirs and killed in brutal fashion.

Dog theft is treated as a crime only when the stolen dogs are valued at more than VND2 million ($86). There's no law against trading dog meat.

Vietnam consumes an estimated five million dogs per year, second only to China, which ingests roughly 20 million. Many dogs that make it to the frying pan are stolen pets sold to small, unregulated abattoirs and killed in brutal ways.

In 2018, Hanoi government called on residents to stop eating cats and dogs, saying the practice was undermining the capital's image in the eyes of international tourists and expats.

The Food Safety Management Board of HCMC made a similar call last year.