Chinese city introduces one-dog policy
China’s pet population has soared in recent years, with an estimated 100 million pets living in the country in 2015.
A one-dog policy has been implemented in Qingdao, a city in China’s eastern Shandong province.
The new regulations prohibit 40 ‘dangerous’ dog breeds including Tibetan mastiffs and require all dogs to be registered, rabies vaccinated and carry an electronic identity device, according to local media.
Owners in breach of the rules face initial fines of 500-2,000 yuan (£58-231), and dogs may be confiscated from repeat offenders.
China’s pet population has soared in recent years, with an estimated 100 million pets living in the country in 2015. The new rules were reportedly a response to disturbances and injuries caused by some dogs, and are intended to provide more comprehensive regulations and clarity on penalties.
Similar rules were implemented in Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province, in 2009. Other cities followed suit, including Harbin, Zhuhai, Changzhou and Nanchang. A 2011 ban on owning dogs in the city centre of Jiangmen, Guangdong province, was overturned after just nine days following a public backlash.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
