The brutal slaughter of a widely adored social media pet has sent shockwaves through mainland China, triggering fierce public debate regarding the urgent need for robust animal protection laws, SCMP reports.
Guo, a well-known travel vlogger hailing from Henan province, is currently fighting a complex legal battle to penalise the men who stole his eight-year-old Border Collie, Chutou. The dog was a bonafide internet celebrity with a fanbase of 1.5 mln followers, cherished for his loyal companionship during Guo’s extensive treks across snow-capped mountains, vast deserts and open plains.
Timeline of events
The distressing saga began while Guo was travelling solo in Georgia, having left his beloved companion in the care of his parents on their family farm. On May 11, Chutou vanished from the property. The family quickly reviewed local CCTV footage, which showed two unidentified individuals snatching the dog and fleeing the scene on an electric bicycle.
After weeks of frantic searching, Guo successfully tracked down the primary suspect on May 26. Desperate to get his dog back, he offered a 10,000 yuan ($1,500) reward. The devastating confession soon followed, as the thief admitted to taking the animal but revealed it was too late. Chutou had been sold to a local dog meat establishment for a paltry 180 yuan ($27) and slaughtered.
A callous response
Adding insult to an already devastating injury, the perpetrator showed absolutely no remorse. He attempted to justify the theft by claiming he thought Chutou was a stray, an excuse Guo vehemently rejects as the dog was wearing a highly visible collar and a GPS tracking device.
The thief allegedly told a grieving Guo to stop making a fuss over a dead animal and boldly declared that he had broken no laws. When Guo visited the restaurant where his pet was killed, staff informed him that the dog’s fur and remains had already been discarded.
The legal minefield
Guo has handed all his evidence to local authorities, but navigating the Chinese legal system for animal cruelty is notoriously difficult. Currently, pets are legally classified strictly as personal property.
To secure a criminal conviction for theft in mainland China, the stolen item must exceed a specific financial threshold, meaning the «goods» must be worth more than 2,000 yuan.
Fortunately for Guo, he purchased Chutou as a puppy in 2018 from a street vendor for slightly over 2,000 yuan, which means the suspect could theoretically face up to three years in prison.
However, legal experts from the Sichuan Weixu Law Firm have publicly warned that claiming compensation for the dog’s massive commercial value as an influencer, alongside the severe emotional trauma inflicted on the owner, will be nearly impossible under current civil codes.
A clash of culture and modernity
This high-profile case has illuminated a stark cultural divide within the country. While pet ownership has skyrocketed and younger generations increasingly view animals as family members, the legal framework has failed to keep pace.
In 2020, the national government officially removed dogs from its recognised livestock catalogue, signalling a shift in official attitudes. However, there is still no nationwide ban on the consumption of canine meat.
While progressive urban centres like Shenzhen and Zhuhai have introduced strict local bans on the practice, dog meat remains a traditional dish in several other provinces. For advocates and devastated owners like Guo, Chutou’s death is a grim reminder that until national companion animal laws are enacted, beloved pets remain highly vulnerable.
