How to Keep Your Best Friend Safe During Dog-Catching Season

Dog-catching season, the time when authorities go around and grab dogs, strays and unlicensed pooches, is upon us.

The annual crackdown on unlicensed hounds has been the bane of dog owners for over a decade now. Beijing has had pretty unreasonable limits on the kinds of dogs you’re allowed to have, which includes a blanket ban on canines that stand more than 35 centimetres at the shoulder.

And while the one-child policy is now gone, in the capital there remains a strict one dog per household policy.

“For stray and unlicensed dogs, this is the worst time of the year,” says Christopher Barden, founder and owner of Little Adoption Shop in Shunyi. “Based on experience, my guess is anywhere between 30 percent and 50 percent of all dogs in Beijing are unable to meet these requirements.”

Barden says dog licenses in key areas of the city can be as expensive as RMB 1,000 for the first year and 500 for yearly renewals. 

The Californian, who has lived in Beijing for around 20 years, advises any dog owners to get their dog's rabies vaccination up to date, as this is something authorities check too.

Barden says dog owners who haven’t registered their pets, should not postpone getting the license any longer.

Because the specific application of the rules varies from police station to police station, Barden suggests dog owners ask the officer in charge of registrations what they need and in what order. “Be polite and proactive,” he advises.

“If you're dog is unable to be licensed, then consider fostering the dog at a friend's house in the suburbs or a professional foster facility until dog-catching season is over, usually in late August.”

Barden has further advice for anyone who is in danger of losing their dog to the police:

• Rule 1: Never leave your dog's side. If the police say they need to take your dog to the police station for any reason, stay with your dog! Insist on keeping your dog by your side or in your arms. 
• Rule 2: Keep Calm. Don't make things worse by losing your temper. 
• Rule 3: Call a Chinese-speaking friend who can help you. If you just need to get your dog licensed, they will probably require you do it on the spot. If your dog is too big to get a license, the police should give you a day or two to relocate the dog. Make assurances that you will do so immediately, and my best advice is to do exactly that. 

If for any reason you're planning to forego getting you dog registered we'd like to remind you of this tragic incident, which occured at around the same time of year in 2014, whereby a dog was beaten to death in front of its expat owner because he wasn't carrying the dog's papers.

Photo: Tom Arnstein