Many people in urban areas are keeping pet dogs in China
nowadays, but management of all those animals has become a major
headache for local governments. Although 24 cities now have
regulations governing the keeping of pets, many conflicts still
arise between dog owners, other citizens, the government and the
dogs.
Most existing regulations are simple statements of restrictions
on location, breed, number of animals permitted and so forth.
Vaccinations are required, and so are very hefty initial
registration and annual renewal fees.
First-year registration costs vary from place to place, ranging
from a few thousand yuan to as much as 10,000 yuan (US$1,200) in
some cities. Annual renewal fees are usually somewhat lower, but
hardly inexpensive.
The government initially hoped the high costs would deter most
citizens from keeping dogs. However, in most places people simply
failed to register their animals, gambling that they would not get
caught.
In Guiyang, the capital of southwest China's Guizhou
Province, the local People's Congress recently drew up the
city's first dog ownership regulation. Its writers sought public
opinion when writing the draft and incorporated citizens'
suggestions.
The focus of Guiyang's regulation is on self-disciplined,
responsible pet ownership. People are required to have their dogs
vaccinated against rabies and register them, but there are no
initial license fees or annual renewal charges. The only other
regular cost is a cleanup fee.
Unlike most other cities, there are no restrictions on the
breed, size or number of dogs kept: only vicious dogs are
prohibited.
Citizens who wish to keep a dog must, after participating in
democratic discussions, sign an agreement to care properly for the
animal. If the dog harms people or the environment, the owner may
be subject to heavy penalties, and unlicensed dogs may be
seized.
Yang Houmei, director of the Commission for Legal Affairs of the
Guiyang People's Congress, says that when they wrote the first
draft, they modeled their regulation on those of other cities. But
when they asked for feedback from the public, many people were
critical: the People's Congress received more than 400 telephone
calls and hundreds of letters within 10 days.
Many residents said that a sound management system, rather than
severe restriction, was the solution. If requirements are
excessively strict, they pointed out, people simply will not
register their dogs.
But since people see their dogs as their friends, they want to
treat them well. By showing them how to be responsible pet owners
and protecting their rights, the government could minimize the
hazards of keeping dogs and maximize compliance. This, says Yang,
is human-centered management.
Many foreign countries with long traditions of animal control
employ this type of human-centered management. Laws are designed to
protect the dogs and their owners as much as other citizens and the
environment. Fees are usually kept low, but violations of pet
ordinances subject the owner to fairly severe penalties.
People enjoy keeping pets and for many, their dogs are beloved
family members. Since it seems that canine companions are here to
stay, China needs sound control and management systems. Guiyang has
set a good example for other cities throughout the nation.
(China.org.cn by Wang Sining, December 31, 2004)