The cargo of around three tons of cats crammed into bamboo cages stacked one on top of another were seized in the capital Hanoi last Tuesday on their way to be sold to restaurants.

The terrified animals, many of them stolen pets, were smuggled from China to the Vietnamese capital where cat meat is called 'little tiger' and eaten as a delicacy. Some died in their cages in transit.

Now, in a shocking twist, Mail Online has learnt that all of the cats dead and alive have been crushed while still in their bamboo cages soon after their rescue because of fears they might spread disease.

The cats initially appeared to have had a lucky escape when a police officer in Hanoi's Dong Da district stopped the truck which had come to the capital from a town near the Chinese border in north-east Vietnam.

Pictures of the cats crammed into the pitifully small cages triggered a wave of offers from regional and international animal welfare groups to treat and find homes for the surviving cats.

Brigitte Bardot offered financial help for the cats via the US embassy but it now appears that all the surviving cats were killed inside their cages shortly after the interception of the truck.

Le Duc Chinh, who investigated the seizure of cats for animal welfare group the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA), said environmental officials told him all the cats had to be destroyed and buried in case they spread disease.

A waste treatment company was hired and used a dumper truck to crush the cats in their bamboo cages before burying them in a the Kieu Ky waste treatment area near the centre of Hanoi, watched by police, Mr Chinh said.

'The cats were buried and covered with lime because of concerns that they might spread disease in the capital,' he said. 'Many of the cats had died during the long trip from China.

'I was appalled and asked them why they did this to the surviving cats, but the officials insisted they were following the law which says they should destroy animals immediately if they do not have health check certificates.' 

He denied claims that some of the cats were buried alive, adding: 'I checked with waste company Binh Minh who buried the cats. They said they killed all the cats and then they buried them.'

John Dalley, of Thailand-based Soi Dog Foundation which led attempts by the coalition to save the lives of the cats, said: 'This is a particularly distressing case, not least because a number of organisations including ourselves offered to help.

'We had vets on standby from Thursday throughout the weekend ready to fly from Thailand. The Vietnamese authorities quite simply refused to give any information, or respond to calls.

'The fact that police intercepted the cats which were bound for restaurants and slaughter houses is commendable, but what followed is not acceptable in any civilised country.'

Mr Dalley added: 'We can only hope that they did not die in vain, and the authorities will take steps to implement existing laws to end the inhumane trade in dogs, cats and wildlife that are not recognised as livestock in Vietnam.

(dailymail.co.uk)