Recent news on animal protection in China:

On 11 March 2021, the Two Sessions of China ended. This year, the Representatives and Senators one after another proposed bills favoring furry kids

1. Representative Chen Yong (Hong Kong) suggested continuously civilizing the nation and improving its image by outlawing the eating of dogs and cats.
   • Legislate a complete ban on the eating of dogs and cats with deterrent penalties and strictly supervised law enforcement.
   • Promote animal protection at primary and secondary education levels to nurture teenagers and children to care for animals.
2. Representative Chen Zuodong (Heilongjiang) suggested establishing the “Companion Animal Protection and Management Law”:
   • Prohibit the abuse and eating of dogs and cats. Prohibit the breeding, stealing, poisoning, trapping, transporting, slaughtering, selling, and consumption of dogs and cats for eating.
   • Purpose: To promote socialist, spiritual civilization and humane treatment of companion animals, and to maintain  norms, public hygiene, and a healthy environment.
   • China seeks to become a world power of economy and civilization. Animal protection and respect for life are the core ideology of the country. The new legislative era for animals will advance civilization and redefine national quality by creating a safe, healthy public environment for and a balanced ecosystem.
3. Representative Zhao Wanping (Anhui)
   • Proposed “Suggestions on including cases of public interest damage of animals into the scope of public interest litigation”
     • Include all cases of public interest damage of animals involving animals into the scope of public interest litigation, and establish the rights of animal-related public interest litigation for non-profit organizations of environment protection, animal protection, and consumer protection.
   • Proposed amendments to “Public Security Administration Punishments Law” by explicitly covering animal abuse as a punishable offense.
4. Representative Zhu Lieyu (Guangdong) proposed the “Draft of the bill for the Anti-animal abuse Law” for the fourth time.
   • Prevent and correct animal abuse behaviors through the law
   • Legislation against animal abuse inherits the traditional Chinese values of animal protection and coexistence with nature. The legislation is an important requirement for the construction of the socialist rule of law, and it will become a powerful driving force for the construction of socialist ecological civilization.
5. Representative Xiawu Zhuoma (Qinghai)
   • Recommended to clarify the illegal nature of animal cruelty in the “Public Security Administration Punishment Law” in the form of judicial interpretation.
     • “Public dissemination and sale of animal cruelty videos” are classified as “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” as stipulated in the “Public Security Administration Punishment Law”
     • “Abetting minors to cruelty animals and filming the process” is classified as “organizing, coercing, or deceiving people under the age of sixteen or the disabled to perform terrorist and cruel performances”.
   • Recommended strengthening of the supervision of pet breeding and sales to curb the source of stray dogs and cats.
6. Representative Ning Qishui (Shaanxi)  suggested that life education on the theme of caring for animals should be included in the textbooks of primary and secondary schools.
7. Representative Li Zhiqiang suggested formulating national-level dog management regulations.
8. Senator Dai Junfeng suggested that the behavior of abandoning pets should be included in personal bad credit.
9. Senator Wang Wenyin (Guangdong) suggested that the construction of ecological civilization should be integrated into the construction of higher education.
   • Cultivate students’ awareness of animal protection and charity is the educational mission of colleges and universities;
   • Colleges and universities should support and encourage public welfare activities that promote charity culture and consolidate the foundation of social goodness. 

Editor’s note:

At the beginning of 2020, Genlin, the founder of the World Dog Alliance, proposed “No wildlife meat for health; No dog and cat meat for civilization”. Coincidentally, in this year’s two sessions, representatives and committee members have submitted proposals for a comprehensive ban on the eating of dogs, cats, and companion animals from the perspective of civilization and ecological construction. The recent response of the Central Civilization Office to the National People’s Congress’s motion on banning dogs and cats showed that the issue of companion animal protection has risen to a new level. The Central Civilization Office will take the lead and it will be time for the country to realize “No wildlife meat for health; No dog and cat meat for civilization”.

WDA Regional Director of Mainland China

Sky Liu

15 March 2021