(CN) Campaign: Barking up wrong tree?

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Campaign: Barking up wrong tree?

By Wu Jiao

(China Daily)

2006-08-16

 

NANJING: A one-month campaign has begun to reduce the number of dogs in

public places in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu Province.

 

But already there is concern, especially from animal protectionists, about

the move which allows dogs to be killed.

 

According to the Nanjing Public Security Bureau, which launched the campaign

yesterday, special police officers will be found in public gardens, squares,

and major streets to capture and kill wandering dogs which are not with

owners.

 

The campaign comes after dogs bit many people and thousands of residents

came forward to be vaccinated against rabies.

 

City regulations ban owners from bringing their pet dogs to public places

and disturbing other people.

 

The rules state that all dogs which enter public areas without a proper

reason such as medical treatment or a public performance can be killed by

public security bureaus or other units entrusted with the task.

 

However, officials from the police bureau said the campaign will not kill

domestic dogs roaming public places. Instead, owners will receive warnings

and fines between 300 (US$37.5) and 1,000 (US$125) yuan.

 

The campaign has met with strong objections from animal rights activists.

 

" Homeless dogs which roam the streets have often already been abused by

irresponsible former owners. What we should do is to save them from hunger

and provide them with a safe home. How can some people come up with the idea

of slaughtering them? " said Yang Xi, a student at Nanjing University who

often feeds wild dogs and cats on her campus.

 

Yang suggested calling for more volunteers to raise such dogs instead of

killing them.

 

People like Yang say it is not the innocent dogs but irresponsible owners

who cause the current chaos.

 

" They pay no attention to the dog's life and the feeling of the people

around them. It is disgusting to see them dragging along a dirty little dog

everywhere, " said Qiu Shukui, a manager for a computer sales company, who

has a pet dog.

 

However, many people, especially those who do not own dogs, said they

welcomed the campaign.

 

" Those dogs affect our lives greatly with their biting, barking late at

night, and their faeces discharged everywhere. It is time to put a stop to

it, " said Gao Yanping, a 41-year-old woman in the Qinhuai District.

 

Gao said a dog bit eight people in her residential district over the

weekend. A pregnant woman had to get an abortion.

 

A recent survey of the pet trade market in the Confucius Temple, a flea

market in the city, showed that the majority for sale there had not been

vaccinated.

 

The number of dogs in the city has soared rapidly since 2004 when the rules

on owning them changed, according to Wu Yong from the public security

department.

 

" Previously, people had to register their dogs with the public security

bureau and vaccinate their dogs regularly in order to get a dog licence.

After that rule was cancelled, the supervision of dog owners became

increasingly loose and more cases of dogs harassing or hurting people were

reported, " said Wu.

 

Statistics from the Nanjing Disease Prevention and Control Centre show more

than 11,000 citizens in Nanjing came forward for the rabies vaccine between

January and July this year.

 

" Most came after being bitten by a dog. About 60 people come per day during

the hot season of July and August, " said one staff member.

 

(China Daily 08/16/2006 page3

 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2006-08/16/content_665668.htm