BEIJING: A celebrity dog in central China was stolen and slaughtered, leaving its owner seeking justice but confronting gaps in the country’s legal protections for pets.
Guo, a travel influencer from Henan province, raised Chutou, an eight-year-old Border Collie known for his intelligence, energy and gentle temperament.
The dog had amassed more than 1.5 million followers on mainland social media after accompanying Guo on years of journeys across China, from snowy mountains to deserts, often guarding him outside his tent at night.
In 2018, Guo bought Chutou from a street vendor for over 2,000 yuan (US$300) when the puppy was just three months old, Fengmian News reported.
Recently, while Guo was on a solo road trip in Georgia, he left Chutou at home with his parents.
On May 11, Guo’s father discovered Chutou missing from the family’s fields. Surveillance footage later showed two strangers taking the dog on an electric bike.
Guo cut short his trip and rushed back to China to search for him.
On May 26, he located the man accused of stealing Chutou and offered 10,000 yuan (US$1,500) for the animal’s return.
The man claimed he mistook Chutou for a stray, saying the dog followed him after being called.
Guo rejected the explanation, saying Chutou had been wearing a collar and tracker and resting on the family’s farmland.
He was later told that Chutou had been sold to a dog meat restaurant for 180 yuan (US$27) and the pet had been eaten.
The alleged thief and his family offered no apology; the man reportedly said: “The dog is dead, so stop making a fuss. I did not break the law.”
Guo later confronted the restaurant worker who slaughtered Chutou, hoping to recover his remains or fur.
“The hair was thrown in the rubbish long ago,” the butcher replied.
Devastated, Guo reported the case to the police and submitted evidence of Chutou’s market value, hoping the case would lead to criminal charges.
Du Wei, a lawyer at Sichuan Weixu Law Firm, told the mainland media that theft cases can be pursued criminally only if the stolen property is valued at more than 2,000 yuan.
If Chutou’s value is established, the suspect could face a theft charge carrying up to three years in prison.
Lawyers said Guo may seek compensation for direct losses, but Chutou’s commercial value as a celebrity dog and Guo’s emotional loss may be harder to prove.
China has no companion animal protection law. Pets are largely treated as property, with disputes usually handled through civil compensation.
The case sparked widespread anger online and renewed debate over China’s dog meat trade.
One netizen said: “I cried while watching Chutou’s old videos. Such a bright, living soul ended so tragically. Those who stole, killed and ate him must pay.”
Although there is no nationwide ban on eating canine meat, dogs have been excluded from China’s livestock catalogue since 2020.
Cities such as Shenzhen and Zhuhai have banned the eating of dogs and cats, but in some regions dog meat is still treated as a traditional ingredient.
In Yulin, Guangxi autonomous region, southern China, a controversial dog meat festival promoted by traders and held annually around June 21 since about 2010 remains a flashpoint.
At its peak, reports suggest thousands of dogs were slaughtered, despite local measures such as bans on street slaughter, stricter market supervision and hygiene inspections. - South China Morning Post
