A new one-child policy has been implemented in China, but it has to do with our fur babies
The city of Qingdao just implemented a one-dog policy per household, joining several other cities that have issued similar regulations.
The government believes dog ownership is getting out of control and adding a cap is for safety measures. More people are reportedly getting by dogs, according to The Beijing News.
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Qingdao also banned approximately 40 different breeds it believed to be strong or dangerous, including Tibetan Mastiffs.
For those people who do own a dog, they will be required to pay a yearly pet fee of 400 yuan, or approximately $60. If someone chooses not to pay, he will be fined 2,000 yuan, or around $300. When a dog is outside, he must wear the proper tags.
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While the city may think it helps control the dog population, it can have major implications on households with multiple pets and cause shelters to become overcrowded. Peter Li, the China policy specialist at the Humane Society International, tells This Dog’s Life that if the policy is confirmed, households with multiple dogs could have pets confiscated.
Called “misguided” Li believes it is “shooting the wrong target or finding the wrong problem.” Rather than implement this rule, he believes the city should focus more on providing services to pet-owning households.
Qindao is following in the footsteps of other Chinese cities, including Beijing, Harbin, Zhuhai, Changzhou and Nanchang.