In recent days, the streets of eastern Beijing have been in a scene of a myth: untied dogs suddenly pounced towards the cyclists, and the owners used slaps to “teach” the dogs. While this video has sparked debate, it has exposed two cruel realities: – 80 per cent of the incidents of dog injuries are due to the absence of a tie, and the violent suppression of the act may turn the pet from victim to perpetrator.
The events in East Beijing: the absence of civilization behind violent discipline
The surveillance footage showed that an untied dog had suddenly rushed towards the cyclist and, after chasing several metres, the dog owner had slammed his face. This treatment is in violation of article 30 of the Animal Vaccination Act, which provides for the suspension of dogs, and constitutes an improper punishment of animals. Similar incidents have become more vicious in a small district of Chongqing, where women have been beaten to the second degree of minor injury following clashes between dogs and road passers-by.
The price of blood: the real case of the absence of strings
Public judgements over the past three years show an upward trend in compensation cases arising from the absence of a tie. In Guizhou, when the seniors were crushed to their waist vertebrae by untied dogs, the owner of the dog was awarded $42,000; in a small district of Shanghai, five-year-olds were injured in the face by a pet dog and eventually received $87,000 in medical and psychological damages. In the most typical case of Hunan, the cyclists were only disabled in grade 10 for avoiding dog chase, and the court awarded the breeder $120,000 under article 1246 of the Civil Code.
Law Light Sword: Responsibility is not empty.
Article 1246 of the Civil Code establishes three iron rules: the victim needs only to prove that the injury is related to the dog and that the breeder has done his or her own managerial duties; even if the owner of the events in the eastern city of Beijing stops them on the spot, he or she bears full liability; and in the event of assault in the case of Chongqing, he or she incurs both criminal liability. The 2023 judgement of a court in Hunan made it clear:” The breeder shall not be exempted from the duty of custody on the grounds that the dog is only mild”.
From credit discipline to civil consensus
Shenzhen has piloted a system of credit for dogs, which will be permanently suspended for three cumulative violations, and Beijing Dynasty has reduced community dog injury rates by 72 per cent through the “civilization dog class”. At the technical level, the electronic canine network with city surveillance is being rolled out in 20 cities, such as Hangzhou, to automatically identify untaught behaviour and send alert messages.
Civilization is the bottom line, not the high standard.
A typical case published by the Supreme Law shows that the foundational requirements such as holding ropes and cleaning of excreta are already enshrined in law. When the master's slap in the dog's face in Beijing, we should think more: If we can't even get the most basic rope, how can we care about animals? The city-wide complaints hotline has been installed 24 hours a day, and each of your reports is contributing to the civilisation process.