Chinese Authorities' Stray Dog Crackdown Sparks Controversy: Balancing Public Safety and Animal Welfare
Following a harrowing incident where a Rottweiler viciously attacked a 2-year-old girl in China, local authorities have implemented a crackdown on stray dogs However, concerns arise as some argue that the measures taken may be excessive
Local authorities in China have recently initiated a crackdown on stray dogs following a distressing video showing a Rottweiler attacking a 2-year-old girl. While their initial response received acclaim, concerns have been raised as netizens started sharing incidents of stray dogs in their communities being forcefully captured and, in certain instances, euthanized.
The Chinese authorities' recent crackdown on unleashed dogs is seen as yet another hasty response that highlights the country's ongoing challenge with animal rights and welfare. On Chinese social media platform Weibo, a user commented, "It's unjust that all large dogs are being targeted by merciless security guards and police just because one dog bit a child." This post, under the hashtag "Will the biting of the girl bring stigma to a large dog?", has been viewed by nearly 1 million users.
"Such a one-size-fits-all approach makes me really sad," she said.
The Rottweiler attack
On October 16, a video captured an alarming incident in Chongzhou, a residential compound in Sichuan, China. The footage shows a young girl and her mother stepping out of their home when they are suddenly confronted by a ferocious black Rottweiler. The aggressive dog quickly lunges at the girl, biting her. Despite the mother's efforts to protect her child, the dog continues its attack, violently dragging the girl around. Even a bystander attempting to intervene with a broom fails to deter the relentless dog.
After successfully using a wooden stick to scare off the Rottweiler, the man discovers the mother sitting on the ground, tearfully cradling her injured daughter. According to multiple Chinese state media sources, the toddler was hospitalized and received treatment for a ruptured kidney, fractured ribs, and bites on different areas of her body.
The Rottweiler was apprehended by authorities, and its owner was detained, as reported by state media.
Since then, various provinces including Shandong, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Hunan, and Anhui have escalated their enforcement efforts, with varying degrees of aggression. Stray dogs are the primary focus, but unleashed pets may also be subjected to control measures.
A man walks his dog through a mall during a 2022 Covid shutdown in Beijing, China.
Many local law enforcement agencies have announced plans to increase their patrols in order to gather stray dogs and penalize owners who do not keep their dogs on a leash. A more aggressive strategy involves the police in Yanzhou, Shandong, declaring their determination to track down "unruly dogs" and put them to sleep.
According to the 2021 China Pet Industry white paper, there are approximately 40 million stray dogs in the country. Strays have historically been held responsible for rabies outbreaks, leading authorities to resort to population control measures such as culls.
A distressing incident that garnered widespread sorrow on the internet involved the mistreatment of a small stray dog named Xiao Huang, also known as little yellow. State-affiliated media reported that security personnel at a university campus in Chongqing captured Xiao Huang using a net and subsequently beat the dog to death.
Many internet users were left puzzled by the choice to euthanize a small dog, whose picture is circulating on Weibo under the hashtag "straydogxiaohuang," along with a plea for increased protection for stray dogs. The university claimed that the dog had entered the student dormitory, endangering safety, as reported by the state-affiliated news outlet Beijing Time.
The online community was outraged by pictures of police officers arriving at a nearby neighborhood in Shanghai and forcefully taking away a German Shepherd.
Many internet users hold the opinion that the dog was elderly and did not present a threat to the local community. However, the Shanghai authorities stated that they responded to reports from residents regarding a hostile dog, and disclosed through a post on their WeChat account that appropriate action was taken.
In defense of stray dogs
Chinese authorities have faced previous allegations of showing a heavy-handed approach towards animals. Amidst the Covid pandemic, several pet owners expressed grievances about their dogs being cruelly beaten to death during quarantine, leading to an uproar on various online platforms.
A number of netizens praised the authorities for taking proactive steps, but most warned against the consequences of going overboard.
A cat on an ancient street in China.
Zhang Peng/LightRocket/Getty Images/File
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Celebrities also joined the chorus of animal lovers to call for better understanding.
Chinese actress and singer Cya Liu, the recipient of the Best Actress award at the Hong Kong Film Awards last year, took a stand against violence by advocating for an end to the killings.
"On Weibo, she expressed her belief that not all stray dogs should be labeled as harmful, just as not all men should be considered virtuous," she wrote, accompanying her post with the hashtag "voicing out for stray dogs."
The Bo Ai Animal Protection Centre in Guangyuan, Sichuan, expressed on Meipian, a Chinese social media platform similar to Tumblr, that China should utilize its progress to foster a stronger sense of social responsibility and cultivate a greater regard for animals among its people. The statement mentioned, "Rather than resorting to violence and capturing dogs indiscriminately, let us display to the world the true nature of our remarkable homeland."
