A video from China's Jiangsu province has gone viral. It shows a man riding a modified electric bicycle powered by his pet golden retriever.
The clip, filmed on 16 March by another rider, shows the dog running under the bicycle's seat. The pet is muzzled and held by reins. The man is also seen holding a stick, which he appeared to use to whip the animal, according to the South China Morning Post.
The video sparked widespread outrage online. Many viewers accused the man of animal abuse.
Local traffic police tracked down the man and stopped him. But, he was only issued an advisory and educated on the issue due to his age.
The action was taken under a regulation that bans illegally modified vehicles on public roads. No action was taken for any animal welfare violation.
China currently has no animal welfare law that protects pets from mistreatment. The country's Road Traffic Safety Law also does not address the use of pets on roads.
It is not known whether the dog suffered any injuries, according to SCMP. The man's identity has not been made public, according to the publication.
The viral video has sparked a heated debate online. Many viewers were angry about the dog's condition, with one user writing: “I pity the dog that became his pet.”
Another raised concerns about the muzzle. According to the user, the dog will struggle to breathe properly while running.
Others questioned the safety of the modified vehicle itself. "How is he supposed to stop the vehicle?" asked one user.
Another user warned that the man could lose control and endanger both himself and other road users.
Some users also brought up an old Chinese folk saying: “Riding a dog would lead to a worn-out crotch, and riding a cat would lead to rotten eyes”.
The saying is traditionally used by elders in the countryside. It discourages children from mishandling pets or stray animals.
Animal abuse laws in China
China has laws governing how animals are treated. But, animal welfare protection remains weak, especially for pets and farm animals.
China has had a national law aimed at maintaining animal welfare standards since 1988. However, it is not widely recognised, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Standards exist for farm animal housing, transport, slaughter, and disease control. It covers species like pigs, poultry, cattle and sheep.
However, the Chinese government does not consider animal welfare sufficiently important to warrant strong legislative oversight. It’s a stark contrast to the European Union.
Crucially, China has no dedicated law protecting pets from mistreatment. The concept of animal welfare itself is relatively new to the country.
Most people in China are still not familiar with the term "animal welfare". There is no direct translation of this term from English into Mandarin.
However, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese government passed legislation in 2019 banning wildlife consumption. In 2016, it also passed a law banning cruel hunting methods, including poisons, explosives, snares and leg-hold traps.
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