A Tibetan Mastiff raised by a couple in Yichang, Hubei Province Photo: CFP

Bai Gang lives in a small community in Jinjiang township, Sichuan Province.  Each night he walks home accompanied by colleagues from his workplace at a railway station, though sometimes it can be a harrowing walk - large dogs, often resembling wolves, shadow them in the darkness.

"I'm quite frightened that some of the dogs might run over toward us. One of them once came up and tried to lick my leg, but it ran away when I shone my flashlight on it."

Bai may have genuine reasons to be afraid. Last Thursday, a girl died in Dalian, Liaoning Province, after being attacked by a Tibetan Mastiff near a construction site. Three workers tried to drive the dog away with stones, spades and an iron bar, but all failed. The pet owner was detained by the police on charges of negligent homicide and may face three to seven years in prison if found guilty.

This case is far from unique. A Tibetan Mastiff was shot dead after biting a woman in Sichuan Province last Friday, and in a separate incident, three passers-by were bitten by two Tibetan Mastiffs in Beijing on June 24.

According to a CCTV report, there were 60,000 cases of dogs attacking people in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, in 2012, meaning that on average more than 160 dogs injured people every day. The report also said that between 2009 and 2011 in the Panyu district of Guangzhou, over 30 cases of dogs biting people were reported daily on average, with direct economic losses caused by medical charges coming to 10 million yuan ($1.63 million).

The increasing numbers of dog attacks have put man's best friend in the spotlight across China, as lawmakers struggle to deal with the problem without angering pet owners - a goal that comes at a price.

 A government crackdown in late June, which attempted to remove illegal breeds of large dogs from the capital, made international headlines as residents cried out while their beloved pets were seized.

Urban canines

"I strongly object to keeping aggressive dogs in cities, where the population density is high. Raising such dogs is just like keeping a tiger around," Yang Yang, an experienced animal rights campaigner, told the Global Times.

"Many owners of aggressive dogs have told me that their dogs haven't caused any trouble. However, I know from experience that those breeds are not controllable. Once they start biting, it is useless to try to stop them," said Yang. "These dogs shouldn't have been introduced in the first place. The rich just want to show off by spending 1 or 2 million yuan on a dog."

Yang's words were echoed by Zhu Shuilin, a vice president with the Zhejiang Small Animal Protection Association, who said the whole process, covering both breeding and selling, should be strictly regulated. "Local governments support raising Tibetan Mastiffs, but have they considered who the dogs will be sold to?"asked Zhu, adding that his comments have made him the subject of online criticism from fans of the breed. "People have preferences when it comes to breeds of dogs, just like they do for cars. But there should be a proper place to keep such dogs, therefore, we suggest not keeping aggressive dogs in the city," said Zhu.

Seizing dogs

Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, instituted bans on certain kinds of dog on October 1, 2008. Altogether, 33 kinds of dogs are banned in the city, but it is still common to see these dogs openly sold in several dog markets, according to the Chuncheng Evening News.

Regulations implemented in 2003 banned 41 breeds of dog from Beijing, but despite the rules many people bought these dogs. The regulation requires aggressive dogs and large dogs to be tied up or kept in cages, and not walked outside. Breaking the rules can earn fines of up to 5,000 yuan and dogs being confiscated, as well as a five-year ban on dog ownership.

When the authorities attempted to enforce the ban in June of this year, raiding homes and seizing illegal dogs, the public outcry made international headlines. One dog owner, Wang Yi, a resident in Daxing district, told the Global Times that since the crackdown he has only taken his dog outside at night. "It didn't bite anybody or other dogs, but now it has to spend more time lonely at home," he said.

Liu Ning, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, told the Beijing News that Beijing's current regulations have worked. "Dog owners may know that large dogs aren't always dangerous, but those who don't own dogs might not. It's easy for children to get hurt," he said, adding that separating dogs by size was understandable.

Zhu, however, does not agree. He pointed out that small dogs were often more aggressive, and said regulations were out of date. "The guiding principle of the regulations, first enacted in 1995, was to restrict the number of dogs by setting the management fee at 5,000 yuan. But changing living standards have made the situation more complicated."

"To tell if a dog is dangerous, we should judge by whether they are controllable instead of strength. Some dogs like German shepherds have a lot of power, but their temperament can easily be controlled after training by handlers and owners," said Yang

Irresponsible owners

Ning Fanggang, a doctor at the Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, recently posted comments online expressing his anger toward irresponsible owners who put the lives of dogs above people. This drew criticism, and he was beaten by two women who claimed to be dog-lovers on Saturday.

The Xinjiekou police station in Beijing told the Global Times that the case is under investigation.

If owners intentionally allow their pets to hurt people, they can be charged with a crime, Hong Daode, a law professor with the China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times. "However, a prison sentence of up to seven years could also be issued for negligence if the dog's actions were out of the owner's control."

However, Hong said laws and views regarding animals are still not well developed. "Many people haven't formed the idea of keeping dogs as pets. The administration of small animals including dogs is still in the exploration process.