Dog lovers wait in line to obtain licenses for their pets at an administrative service center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [NI YANQIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY]
Rising tensions between owners and other members of the public have resulted in many cities harshly enforcing related legislation. Zhang Yangfei reports.
When the clock ticks close to 7 pm, Jia Yilei, from Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, puts a pink waterproof coat on her pet dog, a black Shiba Inu named Hawaii, fixes a leash on her collar and walks her out the door.
This may appear a usual routine for dog lovers, but what makes it different is that Jia is only allowed to walk Hawaii between 7 pm and 7 am. She used to bring the dog with her when she went to buy groceries, but that has not been possible since November, when a campaign to strictly enforce existing regulations started.
However, Hawaii is lucky. At least she is properly licensed, so she has the right to go outside, unlike a golden retriever named Alu.
Alu is not officially allowed out of doors because golden retrievers don't appear on the city's list of approved breeds, meaning it cannot be licensed. As a result, Fan Chen, Alu's owner, has to walk the dog secretly after 8 pm on a remote path in his neighborhood to avoid crowds.
The restrictions are being enforced in Hangzhou and several other cities as part of a canine clampdown resulting from rising tensions between dog owners and other members of the public following a number of incidents.
Urban management officers explain the regulations to a man walking his dog on a street in Hangzhou. [CHEN ZHONGQIU/FOR CHINA DAILY]
Incidents
A video posted on social media in November showed a dog owner manhandling a woman who was trying to shoo his unleashed dog away from her young child. In October, four people were bitten by a dog at a public park in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
In September, a pregnant woman was assaulted by a female dog owner. The woman's husband had kicked out at the owner's dog to stop it approaching his wife. Media reports claimed the attack put the mother-to-be at risk of giving birth prematurely.
In August, a woman in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, died from rabies after being bitten by a stray, despite being given postexposure treatment for the disease.
Statistics from the public security bureau in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, show that from January to October last year police received 3,293 reports of disputes related to the behavior of dogs in public places, with 3,010 involving "dog attacks", according to the bureau's website.
Zhu Shuilin, chairman of the Zhejiang Small Animal Protection Association, said the increasing friction is the result of the rapid development of the pet industry and a lack of awareness of the responsibilities dog owners must assume, in addition to a shortage of legislation.
China's pet dog sector started in the early 1990s, when animals were introduced from overseas to replace aggressive Chinese rural breeds, which were kept for hunting and as guard dogs.
During the past decade, the trend has boomed, reaching an annual growth rate of nearly 40 percent and becoming an influential, independent sector, according to Zhu.
"China's pet industry is skyrocketing, but the government is not up to speed and lacks experience in managing the sector. In addition, many owners do not understand the obligations that come with keeping a dog. They think having a dog is like having a mobile phone and they can do whatever they want with it," he said.
A member of staff at a service center checks the details of a dog registered on Hangzhou's digital information platform. [CHEN ZHONGQIU/FOR CHINA DAILY]
Backlash
Fan has trained Alu well. Golden retrievers naturally love getting close to people, especially children, but from an early age the 2-year-old was trained not to approach strangers, to stand quietly in elevators, and, if coming across a child during a walk, to sit down and allow the child to pass first.
Despite Alu's impeccable behavior, news of recent dog-related incidents and conflicts has prompted a backlash among Fan's neighbors.
"I have been asked more than once if we dog owners will always defend our pets no matter what happens. I feel quite speechless. All these 'dog problems' are in fact 'people problems' because a dog's behavior is determined by its owner," Fan said.
The friction has triggered a public grudge against dogs and, in turn, prompted authorities to impose harsh measures. Over the past few months, many cities across the country - including Xi'an; Chengdu in Sichuan province, Wuhan, Hubei province; Wenshan, Yunnan province; and Guangzhou, Guangdong province - have started clampdowns on unlicensed and stray dogs.
Hangzhou is just the latest city to join the trend. In addition to the time restrictions on walking dogs, only 34 breeds can be kept as pets within the urban area, including Chihuahuas, Pomeranians and poodles. Residents are not allowed to raise or exchange dogs that can grow taller than 45 centimeters or longer than 60 cm, and 34 "vicious" breeds have been banned, including Tibetan mastiffs, German shepherds and Chinese rural dogs.
He Jiaming, an officer with the Hangzhou urban management committee, said the main targets are unleashed dogs, strays, unvaccinated or unlicensed dogs, and owners who fail to clean up their pet's droppings.
Unlicensed dogs are impounded, and their owners face fines of up to 5,000 yuan ($740), while other violations carry fines ranging from 200 to 1,000 yuan and the dogs are also taken to a pound.
Broken Bridge, near West Lake, is one of Hangzhou's best-known tourist attractions.
In days gone by, the area's beautiful natural scenery and open spaces attracted large numbers of tourists and local dog owners. Now, though, not a single dog can be seen along the lakefront, and a sign reads "No vehicles or pets allowed."
Police officers patrol the lakeside and a checkpoint has been set up.
Checkpoint
A police officer surnamed Zhou who was manning the checkpoint said officers ask dog owners to show their license, and if they fail to do so the animal will be impounded temporarily. Officers also check to ensure dogs are properly leashed and owners have cleaned up any droppings.
"The bridge was a favorite place for dog walkers, but many unleashed dogs ran around the area, which really affected visitors and damaged the city's image," he said.
According to Jia, Hawaii's owner, responsible dog lovers understand that the regulations are intended to curb unruly behavior, so they have few objections. However, several of the rules seem illogical.
"Some just don't make sense, particularly the time restrictions," she said. "Many people enjoy a morning workout before 7 am and many children play outside after 7 pm, so the ban won't reduce contact between people and dogs."
She said that when the crackdown was introduced, she was concerned that her dog might be taken away by law enforcement officers because the Shiba Inu is not clearly listed as a permitted breed, so she had not dared to apply for a license.
However, she later discovered that the Shiba Inu is small enough to meet the city's size criteria, so she obtained a license.
That's not the case for Fan, who can either hide his golden retriever or send it outside the urban area.
"I support the legal licensing of dogs, but I am very puzzled why breeds such as golden retrievers and border collies, which are internationally recognized as mild and submissive, have been excluded (from the list of approved breeds). I think the government should regulate dog owners instead of putting restrictions on breeds," he said.
Outdated rules
Zhu, from the Zhejiang Small Animal Protection Association, said the regulations being enforced were introduced in 2004 in an attempt to restrict the number of dogs, but given the sheer number of pets and the sector's rapid development, the rules are outdated and no longer suitable.
Moreover, there is no comprehensive animal protection law to serve as a legal basis for the government to enforce, he added.
He believes the rules are necessary because they help maintain sanitary standards, make the public feel safer and raise dog owners' awareness, but the government and lawmakers need to amend the regulations and make greater provision for the animals.
"We have proposed to the authorities that as long as owners keep their dogs in a civilized way, the animals should be allowed the right to sunlight, and restrictions should be applied according to the classifications of aggressiveness for each breed, rather than size," he said.
"Moreover, management of dog ownership should be based on systematic top-to-bottom regulations for the entire industry. The development of the industry overall should serve as the foundation of animal welfare and protection," he said.
Factbox: Regulations for owners in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province
·It is forbidden to keep or exchange dangerous or large dogs in the urban area. Citizens who wish to keep small dogs should apply to the authorities for approval. Each household is allowed to keep one dog.
·Organizations and individuals that obtain approval to keep dogs in central urban areas must pay a management fee of 1,000 yuan ($178) in the first year and 500 yuan in subsequent years.
·Dogs must be vaccinated and wear ID tags on their collars. Small dogs must be put on a leash by an adult when going outside. Large dogs must be kept at home.
Dogs must not enter markets, stores, restaurants, parks, areas of public greenery, schools, hospitals, exhibition centers, cinemas, sports centers, amusement parks or public transportation centers.
Small dogs are allowed outside between 7 pm and 7 am. Owners must clean away any droppings and ensure their dog does not disturb people by barking loudly.
·If a dog causes injury or illness, the owner must send the affected person for medical treatment and bear all expenses. The authorities shall euthanize the dog or impound it. If impounded, authorities will revoke its license and the owner will be fined 2,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan.
·If a dog is raised without approval, authorities shall euthanize or impound it. Offending organizations will be fined 5,000 yuan to 10,000 yuan, while individuals will be fined 3,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan.
·Violators acting in the following ways will be fined 200 yuan to 1,000 yuan and their dog may be impounded if the circumstances are serious: Bringing dogs into public places or on transportation; allowing dogs outdoors against the rules; repeatedly disturbing other people; failing to vaccinate their dog, obtain a license or clear up after their pet.
