Heads-up for dog owners in Guangdong: a set of new rules on pet-keeping were passed on November 29 during a Guangdong Standing Committee conference, and they will most likely complicate your dog walking routine.
Following a nationwide crackdown on dogs and their owners, the rule changes, which have been incorporated into the Guangdong Province Patriotic and Hygienic Work Regulations, ask pet owners to carry a vaccination certificate when taking their pets out. Failure to do so will result in a fine of up to RMB2,000 if caught by public security officers on patrol or urban management staff.
If someone were to be caught with an unvaccinated pet in public, the fine could be as high as RMB5,000. Furthermore, dog owners will be required to put a muzzle on their furry friends when appearing in public venues, and must clean up their pets’ poop immediately; a fine varying from RMB50 to RMB200 will be imposed if one fails to follow these rules.
In the case of a dog injuring a person, another rule will make it compulsory for pet owners to take the wounded to a hospital and pay for their vaccination shots and any other medical treatment.
These new changes would appear to be more strict than current pet-keeping rules in Guangzhou, which include the following:
Dogs must be vaccinated. If they are not, they must be kept indoors
Dogs involved in an incident that resulted in human harm in the last three years are not allowed in public
Dogs in Guangzhou should be walked on a leash
Dogs need to be registered by the time they are three months old and failure to do so will result in penalties
Since August, a total of 683 dogs have been confiscated in Guangzhou by law enforcement officers, while 125 penalties have been issued to dog owners for illegal pet-keeping.
For Guangzhou pet owners, we have a step-by-step guide on how to register your dogs. Shenzhen dog owners can click here to learn how to register their canine.
Update (November 29 7.57pm CST): The original article title and content have been edited to reflect that the pet-keeping regulations have been voted on and approved by the Guangdong Standing Committee.
[Cover image via Pexels]
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