The Beijing Municipal
People's Congress (BMPC), the capital's top legislature, is considering whether
to further lower the fees collected from people who raise and keep dogs in the
city.
The body's action comes after seeking public opinion from members of the BMPC
Standing Committee and local residents.
"To raise a dog in urban Beijing, an owner will have to pay fees of 1,000
yuan (US$121) in the first year and 500 yuan (US$60) per year in the following
years," said a draft revision to the Beijing Municipal Regulation on Dog
Raising. The measure was debated yesterday by BMPC Standing Committee and will
be voted on by top legislators tomorrow after additional amendments.
The figures for dog-raising fees found in the draft revision are only
one-fifth and one quarter respectively of the current figures.
The matter was put forward by the municipal government in April and was
debated for the first time at the BMPC Standing Committee in July.
Guide dogs raised to assist the blind or dogs that provide assistance to
disabled people will be free of charge like before and won't be affected by the
fee revisions, the draft says.
Dogs owned by senior widowers and widows living in poverty, as well as dogs
that have been spayed or neutered will likely not be subject to the fees.
The changes were made after the BMPC Standing Committee sought advice from
the public in early August, according to Wang Jiayan, vice-director of the BMPC
Legislative Committee.
About 5,300 pieces of advices have benn received through telephone calls,
e-mails, on-line messages and letters.
Based on advice from residents and public security authorities, officials
also noted that residents also want dogs forbidden from being walked at
Tian'anmen Square, Chang'an Avenue and other major streets.
Furthermore, to ensure people's security, the BMPC Legislative Committee
wants to forbid people to take dogs on elevators except for guide dogs, those
owned by the disabled and those kept by senior citizens.
Some people say they strongly disagree with the new proposals.
"Since I am a real estate owner, it is my right to bring my pet with me when
and where I want to go," said Yang Qun, a Beijing resident and a devoted dog
owner.
The draft revision allows for free rabies injections for dogs.
Rabies has become the top infectious disease in China that has killed the
biggest number of people among all infectious diseases in the first half year,
according to sources with the Ministry of Health.
The sharply rising number of pets in cities and the out-of-order animal
management are believed to be two major causes to the rabies epidemic. The
problem has grown much worse in the past three years, officials say. Ministries
of health, agriculture and public security, as well as the State Food and Drug
Administration will jointly make inspections to help resolve the canine-related
issues in the near future.
