Dog Days Are Over: Man's Best Friend to Be Reclassified as a Pet in China

Good news for Beijing's dogs: they, along with all their fellow four-legged brethren around the country, are now officially recognized as pets. You would be forgiven for thinking that this was already the case, but nay, as part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic and tightening of China's wildlife trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has drafted legislation that will change their classification from livestock to pets.

In their statement, released on Apr 8, the ministry said: "As far as dogs are concerned, along with the progress of human civilization and the public concern and love for animal protection, dogs have been specialized to become companion animals, and internationally are not considered to be livestock, and they will not be regulated as livestock in China."

READ: Confusion and Confiscations as Beijing Tightens Dog Restrictions

Dogs are a controversial animal in China, as in certain provinces, consuming dog meat is considered a delicacy with a long culinary history. There are also draconian rules around owning certain kinds of dogs in cities such as Beijing, which may be attributed to the belief that large dogs are inherently aggressive. Yet dogs-as-delicacy has been declining in popularity in China in recent years, with Shenzhen becoming the first city in China to officially ban the practice last month. In tandem, pet ownership has increased steadily in recent years and fluffy, friendly designer breed dogs such as shiba inu, huskies, and Alaskan malamutes are an increasingly common sight on the streets of the capital, reflecting shifting attitudes towards canines. 

What exactly the change in classification will mean for dogs remains unclear. In theory, it will make it illegal for dogs to be bred to provide food, milk, fur, fiber, and medicine, or to serve the needs of sports or the military, and in turn make easier for authorities to control (and ultimately put an end to) dogs-for-meat breeding enterprises.

Interestingly, this also implies that just the fact of being classified as a pet in China does not automatically make it illegal for said animal to be consumed. (Don't tell your cat.)

Former beijingkids staffer Auna Harris, who volunteers with The Lost Puppies of Beijing, a group that fosters and rehomes stray dogs in the capital, welcomes the news but hopes that legislators go even further in protecting man's best friend. 

"I hope that it results in making it illegal for dogs to be eaten, and that those [who do] can be prosecuted. That would be a big relief to a lot of pet owners." Harris adds, "I'd also like to see repercussions for dog abusers. Whether it's abusing your own pet or poisoning someone else's pet, it'd be good to have some legal standing against that kind of behavior."

"It is a constant worry [as a dog owner] that your dog might be taken, or that if they step out of line, that they could be taken and end up sold as meat."

READ: Beijing Pet Sitting Services You Can Trust

Images: Karsten Winegeart (via Unsplash)