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Dog killing brings harsh charges for owner 

The owner of a Tibetan mastiff that bit a 3-year-old girl to death in Dalian, Liaoning Province, may be sentenced to three to seven years, arousing concerns over the legal responsibilities of dog owners.

Punishment

Hong Daode, a law professor with the China University of Political Science and Law:

 On purpose: If owners intentionally let their pets hurt people, they can be charged appropriately, and the most severe punishment would be the death penalty. 

 By accident: A prison sentence of up to seven years could be issued for negligence, if the dog's actions were out of the owner's control.

Commentary

 People's growing awareness of animal protection has pandered to pet owners' indulgences, regardless of others' safety. 

When pet owners call for improved animal welfare, they should also hold the lives of people in respect. Human civilization ultimately will become more meaningful if the welfare of pets is respected, but the necessity of protecting human life is held as sacred.

-- Wang Wenwen, a Global Times reporter

 The regulations should not target all those big dogs, because some large breeds, like golden retrievers and labradors, are harmless and good family dogs. A system for training dogs to communicate with people should be set up.

-- Zhu Shuilin, a vice president with the Zhejiang Small Animal Protection Association

 There are cases where mastiffs are now being seen biting or mauling their hosts, which goes against the nature of purebred mastiffs who are well-known for their loyalty. some breeders have experienced the negative effects of over 90 percent of mastiffs not being purebred.

-- Guo Feng, director of the national Tibetan Mastiff website and vice chairman of the China Purebred Tibetan Mastiff Association

 Apparently the frequent dog attacks are not a matter of inadequate regulations, but in efficiency. We must call the owners of large dogs who know their dogs might hurt people but still let them out to account. This is a neglect of public safety. They should be held legal responsible.

--Wuhan Evening News

Regulations

Beijing	Dog regulations in Beijing ban residents from keeping large dogs in downtown areas;  Police issued a notice on June 2 banning giant dogs, except helper dogs for the visually impaired or disabled. And Beijing have set size limits for dogs in regulations and banned certain breeds.
Shanghai	Residents are not allowed to raise Tibetan mastiff, Wolfhound or Bulldog breeds, which are considered dangerous.
Haikou, Hainan Province	Police in Haikou announced 29 banned breeds, including Tibetan mastiffs, and random checks will be conducted. A fine of 2,000 yuan ($326) will be issued to owners and the animals will also be seized.
Harbin, Heilongjiang Province	Dogs taller than 50 cm, longer than 70 cm or on a list of 49 breeds considered "dangerous" are banned from downtown Harbin.

Tips

The following tips can help children avoid a dog attack:

Previous cases

October , 2009	Beijing  A Tibetan Mastiff bit 21 people.
January, 2012	Beijing  A Tibetan Mastiff attacked and wounded nine people.
June, 2012	Shanghai  An Alaskan Malamute wounded a middle-aged woman.
July, 2012	Shanghai  Three Rottweilers severely injured three people.
September, 2012	Shanghai  An unlicensed Tibetan Mastiff bit six people.
May, 2013	Guizhou Province  Two Argentine Mastiffs attacked and killed an elderly man.
June, 2013	Beijing  Two pedestrians were bitten by another Tibetan mastiff.
June, 2013	Sichuan Province  A Tibetan mastiff was shot to death after attacking a woman.

Related coverage

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Learning Chinese

News Vocab

养狗证  yǎnggǒu zhèng 
dog license

Web editor: pangqi@globaltimes.com.cn