Last weekend, the curious incident of a dog gone missing in Longhua District, Shenzhen, led to a sinister discovery, Southern Metropolis Daily reported (warning: contains truly scarring photos).
The debacle began Saturday morning, when a man called police to report his stolen pet. He had gone running with his dog sans leash, and lost track of its whereabouts. Returning to the spot where it disappeared, however, he was told by passersby that someone had 'picked up' his pet.
When police reviewed CCTV footage, they discovered that at some point during the run, the dog had stopped and apparently fallen over while its owner continued on. Soon afterwards, a man on a motorcycle came up from behind, seized the dog and stowed it in a basket strapped to the back of his vehicle.
When police tracked the motorcyclist down, they discovered an illicit dog meat operation being run in the Pinghu area of Longgang District. On Wednesday, they seized three male suspects at the scene and confiscated tools including a 'crossbow' for shooting animals as well as drugged meat meant to knock them out beforehand.
They also discovered multiple dog bodies, which are being tested for consumption of toxic substances.
One suspect told police that in between ferrying customers on his bike, he'd throw spiked treats to dogs he'd spotted. Later, after the animals collapsed, he would pick them up and sell them for RMB80 or RMB100 at a dog meat stall. He also sometimes consumed the meat himself.
By his own account, the suspect had been stealing dogs since last October. Within the past month, he picked up around five or six animals in Longhua and Longgang Districts.
Watch footage of the dognapping, followed by seizure of the suspects below (VPN off). Warning: scenes in this video may be disturbing to some viewers.
While pet ownership (and pampering) is increasingly common in China, traditions such as the Yulin Lychee and Dog Meat Festival persist despite accusations of cruelty from activists both Chinese and international.
READ MORE: 5 Dogs Dead in Shenzhen in Suspected Poisonings
[Images via Southern Metropolis Daily]
0 User Comments