With the mercury rising up into the mid ’30s, it feels like the dog
days of summer are already upon us. But this week’s throwback is
dog-themed for all the wrong reasons. Back in June 2011, we reported on a spate of suspected dog poisoning that had occurred in Capital Paradise, a community in Shunyi.
According to the article, more than twenty dogs may have died in
quick succession, and while they presented symptoms similar to that of
rabies – agitated running, strange barking, salivating, and vomiting to
cramping and running a high temperature – at least one of the dogs was
vaccinated against the common disease making it extremely likely that
they were deliberately killed.
Unfortunately, this 2011 incident was neither the first or last time
that groups of dogs were killed in such a way in the capital. As our sister site the Beijinger reported in 2018, there have been deadly dog poisoning attacks like these on a pretty regular basis since at least 2005.
advertisement
China has a complicated relationship with dogs, largely because it has
the second-highest number of reported rabies cases in the world. In
Beijing alone, 27 victims
died from rabies in attacks by non-vaccinated dogs between 2014 and
2016, according to Beijing Ditan Hospital. In the 1980’s, on some 5,000
people died from rabies per year across the country, and although those
numbers have fallen dramatically, the association between dogs and this
deadly disease still lingers.However, change is on the horizon as Beijing’s middle class chose to
keep dogs as pets in increasing numbers, normalizing the sight of big
fluffy canines wandering the streets. Furthermore, as of Apr 8 this
year, dogs are now officially recognized as pets in China,
thanks to legislation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Affairs in a move designed to change their classification from livestock
to pets. Even the culinary practice of eating dogs has been declining
in popularity in China in recent years, with Shenzhen becoming the first
city in China to officially ban it outright.
For now, we recommend all pet owners to ensure their pets are up to
date on their vaccinations, are properly registered at the PSB on an
annual basis (this year’s registration window has been extended to Dec 31), and are kept on a leash in all public areas.advertisement