People’s Daily Rails Against Symptom of Western Penetration: Dog Ownership
A man posed for a photo with two Tibetan mastiffs. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
In recent years, China has experienced a massive boom in the number of proud pet owners and fluffy dogs walking its cities’ streets.
And the Chinese Communist Party evidently is not so pleased about it.
On Tuesday, the party’s national newspaper penned a commentary that hammered against the phenomenon of inconsiderate pet owners, describing China’s current “dog infestation” as “a reality we can’t ignore.”
On Tuesday, the party’s national newspaper penned a commentary that hammered against the phenomenon of inconsiderate pet owners, describing China’s current “dog infestation” as “a reality we can’t ignore.”
In the past, the paper wrote, it was mostly people in villages and farms who kept dogs as guard animals. The more recent urban trend of keeping dogs as pets, it wrote, could be attributed to influences from the West.
“The number of pet dogs has grown at an alarming rate in the past ten to twenty years, and no matter which city or district you’re in, it has become difficult to find a place without dogs,” ran the commentary, published by the People’s Daily. Many dog owners are lacking in the courtesy department, said the People’s Daily, in a piece was accompanied online by five letters from the public complaining about their ruff encounters with socially inept canines and their obtuse owners.
For example, in one of the letters, Beijing-based Feng Qiyun, complained that her neighbor’s dog barks incessantly, adding that when other dog owners meet up with her neighbor, they also join in the racket by talking loudly about their ideas on rearing dogs.
“Our courtyard is full of poop and some don’t even leash their dogs,” Ms. Feng wrote. “The owner lets her dog run freely but warns us to rein in our children, saying that ‘it’s not my fault if the dog bites.’ This is ridiculous.”
In particular, the People’s Daily said that pet owners needed to be more considerate about where their dogs relieve themselves.
“Many dog owners are only focused about their rights and concerned about their dogs, but are oblivious and insensitive to public safety and the care for public spaces,” the commentary said, adding, “The government could also do more in managing dog owners.”
Online, while social media users were pleased with the People’s Daily’s comments exhorting dog owners scoop the poop, others pointed out that a lack of resources for dog owners is also an issue. Dogs are restricted from many locations and are often banned from public parks, so many owners resort to areas outside shopping malls and office towers when they’re looking for some space for their pet to roam.
“While the mighty People’s Daily complain about dog owners on the lawn, can it answer this: can the government provide dog parks like they do in Hong Kong, the U.S. and Japan for dog owners?” one Weibo user wrote.
–Esther Fung. Follow her on Twitter @estherfung
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Link: http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/07/30/peoples-daily-rails-against-symptom-of-western-penetration-dog-ownership/
“The number of pet dogs has grown at an alarming rate in the past ten to twenty years, and no matter which city or district you’re in, it has become difficult to find a place without dogs,” ran the commentary, published by the People’s Daily. Many dog owners are lacking in the courtesy department, said the People’s Daily, in a piece was accompanied online by five letters from the public complaining about their ruff encounters with socially inept canines and their obtuse owners.
For example, in one of the letters, Beijing-based Feng Qiyun, complained that her neighbor’s dog barks incessantly, adding that when other dog owners meet up with her neighbor, they also join in the racket by talking loudly about their ideas on rearing dogs.
“Our courtyard is full of poop and some don’t even leash their dogs,” Ms. Feng wrote. “The owner lets her dog run freely but warns us to rein in our children, saying that ‘it’s not my fault if the dog bites.’ This is ridiculous.”
In particular, the People’s Daily said that pet owners needed to be more considerate about where their dogs relieve themselves.
“Many dog owners are only focused about their rights and concerned about their dogs, but are oblivious and insensitive to public safety and the care for public spaces,” the commentary said, adding, “The government could also do more in managing dog owners.”
Online, while social media users were pleased with the People’s Daily’s comments exhorting dog owners scoop the poop, others pointed out that a lack of resources for dog owners is also an issue. Dogs are restricted from many locations and are often banned from public parks, so many owners resort to areas outside shopping malls and office towers when they’re looking for some space for their pet to roam.
“While the mighty People’s Daily complain about dog owners on the lawn, can it answer this: can the government provide dog parks like they do in Hong Kong, the U.S. and Japan for dog owners?” one Weibo user wrote.
–Esther Fung. Follow her on Twitter @estherfung
Sign up for CRT’s daily newsletter to get the latest headlines by email.
Link: http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/07/30/peoples-daily-rails-against-symptom-of-western-penetration-dog-ownership/
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