Beijing Cops Hunting Down Golden Retrievers
Ban on ‘large and vicious’ dogs includes Labs, Dalmatians, and collies
By Ruth Brown, Newser Staff
Posted Jun 23, 2013 5:04 PM CDT
(Newser) – Beijing police have recently started enforcing a prohibition on “large and vicious dogs.” It’s a ban that includes breeds such as golden retrievers, Labradors, and Dalmatians, and affects any dog taller than 13.7 inches—apparently the size at which authorities feel pooches are no longer appropriate for city living. The law isn’t new, but the enforcement of it is, and now cops are raiding homes where the rogue breeds live, seizing the dogs from their owners—even taking animals that are actually registered with authorities, the New York Times reports.
“I feel like we’re living in one of those war movies in which the Communists are searching for the Japanese and threatening to wipe them out,” says a woman who owns a golden retriever. “How can the government be so cruel?” Frightened dog owners are now keeping their pets hidden, while those who can afford it are housing them at farms and kennels outside the city. Animal rights advocates say the seized dogs will most likely end up being sold for meat. “We wish the police could find a more humane way to deal with this issue,” says a spokesperson from Animals Asia.
