About

Sentient Animals Vietnam

Sentient

/sĕn′shənt, -shē-ənt, -tē-ənt/

adjective

able to feel, perceive, or experience subjectively.

Why sentience matters

Sentient beings can experience emotions like pleasure, happiness, pain, fear, and suffering. We humans have all felt these emotions and understand that others around us can suffer too.

This capacity for feeling isn't limited to humans—we understand that our dogs and cats are also sentient and deserving of respect and care. Like us, they should enjoy basic freedoms and be protected from unnecessary pain and suffering.

Many other animals, including those we raise for food, share this same capacity for feeling. Chickens, ducks, cows, and fish all have individual experiences and emotions, yet they're increasingly treated as mere commodities. Recognising their sentience compels us to minimise the harm we cause them.

“The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer? ”

Jeremy Bentham

Our Mission & Vision

Mission

To enhance the welfare of farmed animals by enabling producers to implement kinder practices and garnering support from corporations and government institutions.

Vision

To minimise the suffering of ducks and other animals raised for food for as long as animal agriculture exists.

Our Organisation

We are a Welfare Matters-incubated charity, working to improve duck welfare in Vietnam. As a local organisation, we are uniquely positioned to create impact in this crucial region where international organisations have often struggled to establish projects.

Our Team

  • Tra My Nguyen

    Co-founder, Managing Director

    With a strong background in wildlife conservation and 6 years of project management experience, My brings valuable expertise to our organisation. Her diverse experience in operations and communications within Vietnamese and international NGOs, combined with her proven track record of working with local communities, youth, and volunteers, enables her to build meaningful relationships and drive impactful initiatives for animal welfare. As Managing Director, she oversees business and field operations as well as task management.

  • Shreya Basu

    Co-founder, Executive Director

    With a Master’s degree in Engineering and experience in planning technical projects, Shreya brings strong analytical capabilities to our organisation. As a Fellow from the Southeast Asia Farm Animal Welfare Fellowship and a member of the Effective Altruism community, she combines her analytical skills with an understanding of animal welfare issues. Her research skills also enable us to develop evidence-based strategies and evaluate our impact effectively. As Executive Director, she is primarily responsible for strategy development and execution, as well as research and impact monitoring.

  • Hang (Kate) Tran

    Co-founder, Program Director

    With her veterinary background and extensive experience in organisational management, including HR, communications, and public relations, Hang brings crucial expertise to our team. Her experience working with government bodies and the renowned Vietnam Animal Welfare Association, coupled with strong industry-wide connections, enables us to effectively navigate partnerships and build meaningful relationships within the sector. As Program Director, she leads all program-related activities including outreach, stakeholder engagement and general program development.