Abandoning pets hides greater risks
Emoji packs, short videos, circle of friends... We can see cute pets everywhere in our daily life, and "sucking cats" and "pulling dogs" have also become the daily routine of some people.
As the number of pets increases year by year, the number of pets abandoned is also increasing.
The article "Current Situation and Causes of Stray Animals in China" released by China Peison Animal Protection and Public Welfare Research Institute shows that with the increasing number of pets, the number of abandoned dogs and cats is also increasing year by year.
According to statistics, the number of stray animals in the world is about 200 million, and the number of stray animals in China is 40 million, accounting for one-fifth of the total number of stray animals in the world. Their living conditions are extremely difficult.
The reporter found that in addition to the common phenomenon of pet cats and dogs being abandoned by their owners, in recent years, there has been a wave of "alternative pet booms", such as Wang Sicong buying alpacas, Song Qian raising fragrant pigs, Cheng Xiao raising lizards, etc.
Some people even keep servals, thrushes and other state-protected animals as pets in order to satisfy the "love" in their hearts.
Abandoned pets also include some alternative pets, and the legal and ecological risks associated with this cannot be ignored.
abandoned
There are many reasons for abandoning pets
Sickness, moving house, family disagreement, pregnancy preparations, etc. have all become reasons for abandoning animals.
Many people abandon their pets because of helplessness or force majeure. Some people buy them impulsive because of "pet fever", or they are fooled by merchants to buy...
According to the "2021 White Paper on China's Pet Industry", abandonment ranks first among the uncivilized pet-raising behaviors that are least acceptable to the public.
Ms. Zhang told reporters that she often sees some posts about pets being abandoned on the Internet, "Some people are 'sick', they keep cats, dogs, ducks... not for the purpose of taking care of the animals' lives, Instead, follow the fashion trend and treat animals as 'Hermes'. They are not just commodities, but flesh and blood!"
"There are various reasons for abandoning animals, such as illness, moving house, family disagreement, pregnancy preparations, etc. Many people abandon pets because of helplessness or force majeure," said veterinarian Zhu Ludi.
The reporter learned that some people buy impulsive because of "pet fever", or are fooled by merchants to buy...
Cole ducks, which are relatively expensive, are also abandoned.
Keer Duck, with a round shape and snow-white feathers, became popular due to Wang Sicong's high-profile purchases and various interesting expression packs.
The related market of Keer Duck is also very hot.
In the market, the price of a Keer duck egg starts at 100 yuan, and some are as high as 2,000 yuan.
The customer service of a Taobao store that specializes in Keer ducks told reporters that the price of adult Keer ducks generally ranges from several thousand yuan, and the price of the best adult ducks is as high as 30,000 yuan.
A pet rescuer told reporters that she also received a Cole duck with a defective leg. It was originally raised by a primary school student and was later sent away due to the objection of the family.
Ibis had rescued abandoned sugar gliders.
The honey bag glider is an emerging alternative pet in recent years. The topic #honey bagglider# has reached 2.88 billion views on the Douyin platform, and there are 3 related topics that exceed 100 million.
The abandoned honey glider, along with a rotten apple, was dumped on the side of the road in an empty mineral water bottle.
One of Zhuludi's clients picked up the bottle and took it to his hospital.
"I'm very thin, and I don't have much energy." After Zhu Ludi's treatment, this honey glider was adopted by one of his clients.
The reporter learned from Li Lichu, the head of the Beijing Black Panther Wildlife Protection Station, that in the daily work of the protection station, he has rescued many species that do not belong to Beijing, and some even foreign animals.
Li Li analyzed, "Some people want to highlight their personality and behave differently from others. In order to show off, they raise some alternative pets, some of which are wild animals. This is illegal."
Qiao Wei, a staff member of Qiming Animal Rescue Center, told reporters that many people abandoned their dogs to the rescue center.
"We have cured some sick dogs, and it is not uncommon for the owner to ask them back." Qiao Wei said that in this case, the center will not refund the pet, and will find a new one for the pet. 's owner.
On the day of the interview at the end of June this year, the police station contacted Qiming Animal Rescue Center to retrieve a discarded Ragdoll.
The market price of Ragdolls fluctuates around 10,000 yuan, and although the price is not low, there are still people who throw them away.
The ragdoll was abandoned on the roadside in a cat bag by its owner.
Because of exposure to the sun, the temperature in the cat bag can easily soar to forty or fifty degrees Celsius, and the cat may die of dehydration very quickly.
Qiao Wei said that some wealthy pet owners don't care about the resale money, they just throw away the breeds of cats and dogs they buy, and don't bother to spend time and energy selling them.
For them, abandonment may be the least costly.
Qiao Wei also mentioned that some breeders who tried to breed discarded their animals because the value of their animals had depreciated.
In the past, poodles were also very valuable. In the past two years, many poodles have become stray dogs. This is related to the increase in the number of poodles and their worthlessness.
as a result of
Most abandoned pets don't survive
About 70% to 80% of abandoned pets will not survive, which will also add unnecessary burden to society.
Abandoning "exotic pets" may also increase risks in terms of ecological security, biosecurity, and public health.
Du Fan, president of the Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association in Hubei Province, once said in an interview with the media that about 70 to 80 percent of pets that are abandoned and stray outside will not survive.
For the whole society, the behavior of abandoning pets will inevitably add unnecessary burdens to the society. For example, stray dogs are prone to fighting, biting people, and may even spread some diseases.
Among the abandoned situations that Qiming Animal Rescue Center encounters on a daily basis, puppies whose umbilical cords have just been broken are discarded in trash cans.
Qiao Wei said that in this case, it is very difficult for a puppy to be rescued. It is very difficult to save one out of 100, and it is necessary to find a larger dog to bring the puppy.
"If pets are abandoned, it will increase anxiety and pressure, and some animals have serious self-mutilation behaviors and even death. Alternative pets like sugar gliders may self-mutilate because of loneliness and depression." Zhu Ludi told reporters that if When pets are abandoned, their own health and psychology will be affected.
As consumers' demands for pet types become more and more diverse, "alternative" pets such as snakes, lizards, and diamondback carp have begun to circulate in the market.
Alternative pets, also known as "exotic pets," are home-raised companion animals that distinguish cats and dogs from traditional pets, ranging from amphibians, reptiles, arthropods to mammals.
However, some relevant professionals also pointed out that "exotic pets" are animals that have not been domesticated by humans for thousands of years and still belong to wild animals in terms of attributes.
Liuzhou Small Animal Protection Association will rescue ordinary cats and dogs on a daily basis, as well as other alternative pets such as American green iguanas, hedgehogs, rabbits, and wild animals such as owls, monkey-faced eagles, hornets, and groundhogs.
Weiwei, a volunteer of the association, said in an interview with reporters that in July 2018, the rescue team rescued an abandoned American green iguana in the urban area.
The iguana was found and handed over by local firefighters, and it was nearly 1.5 meters long.
Because of the different climate, the association only took care of it for two years before passing away.
Weiwei said that the green iguana is an exotic species in China, and that such a large wild American green iguana appears in the city, it is very likely that someone has raised it and abandoned it.
Although there are many non-governmental rescue volunteer teams who spontaneously rescue all kinds of animals in need of protection, not all of them have experience in the rescue of alternative pets.
The Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association issued a document stating that it rescued animals such as cats and dogs, and had no experience in rescuing exotic pets.
According to the situation, the rescue team will remind the discoverer to contact the Forestry Bureau, the Forestry Public Security or other relevant departments to solve the problem.
In the daily work of the protection station, Li Li has rescued many species that do not belong to Beijing, and some even foreign animals.
In the early years, some people released snakes of "unknown species" one by one in sacks, while others released Brazilian turtles, snapping turtles and other animals into the wild. "This may cause a partial devastating blow to the native ecosystem."
Li Li also mentioned that some people keep Tibetan mastiffs, red foxes, cobras and other animals as exotic pets and then return them to the forest. They may not have pure genes or have related diseases, which will bring hidden dangers of infection and genes to local related animals. Instability and other issues, many situations will affect the local biological environment.
Li Li also said that with the strengthening of management and the improvement of laws, in recent years, the phenomenon of wild animals being kept as exotic pets in the protection station has decreased.
"In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of people raising exotic pets in China, but not every breeder is aware of the potential risks of raising exotic pets." said Dr. Sun Quanhui, World Animal Protection Association, "In addition to the direct impact of the rising demand for exotic pets Animals themselves may also increase risks to ecological security, biosecurity and public health."
Legal issues behind
expert:
If you raise or discard invasive alien species, you may be involved in a crime
Professor Qian Yefang from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law believes that the "Wild Animal Protection Law of the People's Republic of China" has restrictive regulations on the release of animals, but there are no special regulations on abandoning pets.
Only some local regulations stipulate that common pets such as dogs cannot be abandoned. For example, the "Notice on Effectively Regulating Civilized Dog Breeding" issued by the Luliang City Public Security Bureau and the Urban Administration of Shanxi Province stipulates that dogs must not be abused or abandoned. .
Dr. Sun Quanhui from the World Association for the Protection of Animals told reporters, "Many of the exotic pet species being trafficked are actually endangered species, which are prohibited from international trade by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Illegal breeding.” Some green iguanas abandoned by some people are listed in CITES Appendix II and are approved as national second-class protected animals according to law.
Therefore, buying, transporting and selling green iguanas is illegal in our country.
"It is understood that the laws and regulations for keeping wild animal pets are still being drafted, and some artificially bred birds and reptiles may be allowed to be kept as pets in the future." Dr. Sun Quanhui also mentioned.
Ruan Qilin, a professor at China University of Political Science and Law and an expert in criminal law, told reporters that if the animals raised or discarded are invasive alien species or animals under state protection, they may be suspected of committing a crime.
According to the "Amendment to the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China (Eleven)", "In violation of state regulations, illegally introducing, releasing or discarding invasive alien species, if the circumstances are serious, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention, and shall also or only be fined. "
Ruan Qilin mentioned that animals included in the "National Key Protected Wildlife List" and the provincial first-level and second-level protection lists cannot be kept as pets by individuals without authorization.
China has joined CITES, and the species in its appendixes I and II are equivalent to national first- and second-level protected wild animals, and legal risks will be involved if they are raised.
Ruan Qilin said that Article 1249 of the Civil Code stipulates that if an abandoned or escaped animal causes damage to others during the period of abandonment or escape, the original animal breeder or manager shall bear the tort liability.
No matter what kind of pet it is, as long as it does not involve damage to the environment or protect animals, there is generally no problem in raising it.
If the pets raised cause damage to others and violate the rights and interests of others, the pet owner needs to bear civil liability, and if the circumstances are serious, he needs to bear criminal liability.
Relevant laws and regulations
Some regions are improving relevant regulations
Dr. Sun Quanhui told reporters: "For keeping traditional pets such as cats and dogs, my country's "Animal Epidemic Prevention Law", "Regulations on the Management of Keeping Pets" and "Regulations on the Management of Dogs" issued by various provinces and cities have clear relevant regulations. "
The reporter's search found that some areas are improving relevant regulations in preventing the behavior of abandoning pets.
The first case of dog abandonment by a dog breeder in Shanghai occurred in 2020, when two delivery boys found an injured elderly dog abandoned on the side of the road.
After Shanghai Pudong police intervened, they imposed a fine of 500 yuan on the abandoned owner, Wu, according to the "Regulations on the Administration of Dog Breeding in Shanghai".
In Hubei, the "Hubei Province Animal Epidemic Prevention Regulations (Revised)", which came into effect on March 1 this year, stipulates that if a dog is abandoned, the dog registration authority will take the dog and impose a fine of not less than 1,000 yuan but not more than 5,000 yuan.
In Fujian, people who abandon dogs and cause the spread of the disease may be fined 10,000 yuan.
Recently, the 34th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th Fujian Provincial People's Congress voted to pass the "Fujian Province Animal Epidemic Prevention Regulations", which will take effect on October 1.
The "Regulations" require that units and individuals that keep dogs shall not abandon their dogs at will, and clearly stipulates that if units and individuals abandon their dogs at will, causing the spread of animal epidemics, the competent animal epidemic prevention department of the local people's government at or above the county level shall deal with the highest authority. A fine of ten thousand yuan.
"If you like animals, you must choose the right way, and in travel, health care, diet, pet care and other life consumption, follow the concept of treating animals kindly and respecting life, reduce the adverse impact on animals, and avoid unnecessary pain and injury to animals. Dr. Sun Quanhui said, "Protecting and treating animals kindly is an important part of a harmonious society and ecological civilization, and it is also an inevitable requirement for the sustainable development of people and society."
(The name Weiwei in the text is a pseudonym)
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News reporter Chen Qingyuan
Intern Zhang Jie