The one-dog policy () is a
policy
Policy is a deliberate system of guidelines to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an organ ...
implemented in 2006, restricting residents of
Beijing City to one
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
per family. It also prohibits Beijing residents from raising large (over tall) and ferocious dogs. Effective from May 2011 onwards, a similar policy was implemented in
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
: each household is only allowed to register one dog, but unlike in Beijing, in Shanghai there is no size restriction for the dog owned.
For instance, in
Xujiahui
Xujiahui (, , romanized as: Zikawei, Ziccawei, or Siccawei) is a locality in Shanghai. It is a historic area of commerce and culture administratively within Xuhui District, which is named after the locality. The area is a well-known precinct for ...
, Shanghai, the local
café
A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...
''Husky Go!'' allows clients to interact with
Siberian Huskies, a dog breed that surpasses in height.
Nonetheless, certain dog breeds perceived as potentially dangerous by the Chinese authorities are forbidden in Shanghai, including the
Bulldog,
Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier is a breed of dog in the terrier family. There is also a miniature version of this breed which is officially known as the Miniature Bull Terrier.
Appearance
The Bull Terrier's most recognizable feature is its head, described ...
, and
Mastiff.
Causes
The one-dog policy was implemented in 2006, when it became apparent that
rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, vi ...
was the infectious disease killing the most people in that year.
Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency (English pronunciation: )J. C. Wells: Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 3rd ed., for both British and American English, or New China News Agency, is the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China. Xinhua ...
, the official news agency of the Chinese government, said that rabies had killed 318 people in September 2006 and 2,651 people in 2004, the latest year for which data is available.
[China launches 'one dog' policy](_blank)
''The Australian'' (accessed 2008-03-19)
''Discovery Channel News'' (accessed 2008-03-19) Only 3% of dogs in China are vaccinated, while 69,000 people sought treatment for rabies in 2005 in Beijing alone.
''The New York Times'' (accessed 2008-03-19)
Regulation
The policy restricts every family to one dog as a maximum both in Beijing and Shanghai. It also sets a legal limit for dog height at 35 cm (14 inches) in Beijing, but not in Shanghai. Dogs are not allowed to be abandoned, and owners cannot take their dogs to public places such as markets, parks and sightseeing areas.
Effects
The policy has caused small protests (such as one outside the
Beijing Zoo which was composed of 200 protesters). The fines for keeping more than one dog or an oversized dog are about
US$650.
[One-dog policy resisted in Beijing crackdown](_blank)
''Best Friends Network'' (accessed 2008-03-19)
The policy has also prompted mixed reactions from
animal rights
Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...
groups, with the
Humane Society of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
criticizing the policy and
PETA
Peta or PETA may refer to:
Acronym
* Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943
* People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization
* People Eating Tasty Animals, an ...
supporting it.
See also
*
2009 Shaanxi dog-free zone
The 2009 Shaanxi dog-free zone is a goal by the government of Shaanxi Province in north central People's Republic of China (PRC) to begin killing large number of dogs as part of a campaign to stop the spread of rabies in the region via stray dogs ...
*
One-child policy
The term one-child policy () refers to a population planning initiative in China implemented between 1980 and 2015 to curb the country's population growth by restricting many families to a single child. That initiative was part of a much bro ...
References
{{Reflist, colwidth=30em
2006 establishments in China
Culture in Beijing
Law of the People's Republic of China
Dog law
Dogs as pets