Man in China jailed 4 years for poisoning and killing 9 pet dogs
The man, surnamed Zhang, had scattered toxic substances in a residential compound in Beijing.
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
BEIJING: For poisoning and killing nine dogs in a residential compound, a 65-year-old man in Beijing was sentenced to four years in jail on Thursday (Dec 11).
The man, identified by his surname Zhang, had soaked chopped chicken bones in sodium fluoroacetate, a highly-toxic substance notably used in rat poison.
Ingesting or even merely sniffing or licking a small amount can be fatal to animals and even humans, studies showed.
The cases took place back in September 2022, in Beijing’s Chaoyang district and police investigations revealed that Zhang had deliberately placed the poisoned food items in common areas like playgrounds to target pets.
Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review
Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.
This service is not intended for persons residing in the E.U. By clicking subscribe, I agree to receive news updates and promotional material from Mediacorp and Mediacorp’s partners.
Loading
A total of 11 dogs were poisoned, local media reports said. Nine died while two survived.
One of the victims was a 13-year-old West Highland terrier named Papi - whose owner, Li Yihan, has been seeking justice.
Zhang was arrested in 2022 and his trial began in 2023. But despite his swift arrest, the verdict had been repeatedly delayed, according to Chinese media reports.
During his trial, Zhang admitted to poisoning the dogs.
He vaguely explained his reasons for doing so - saying he disliked dogs and targeted them because he was angry about them urinating on his tricycle.
He also cited his granddaughter’s dislike of them.
While there are laws in place to protect wildlife, livestock and laboratory animals, there are no laws in China explicitly prohibiting general animal cruelty.
Zhang’s sentencing is Beijing’s first criminal public prosecution case involving pet dog poisoning, according to state media reports.
Similar poisoning cases have played out across the country. More than 40 dog poisonings were reported in Guangzhou last November.
In May last year, more than 20 dogs were poisoned to death in Beijing’s Fengtai District.
In a report by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV News, lawyers and experts said efforts should be made towards establishing forensic evaluation standards for pets.
JUSTICE FOR PAPI
Zhang was convicted of using and spreading dangerous substances.
Following this week’s verdict, Zhang filed an immediate appeal, according to CCTV News.
Speaking to Chinese media outlets, Li - Papi’s owner - said the case went beyond the loss of individual dogs; it raised broader questions about animal welfare and protection as well as the public safety of pet owners and thousands of households.
Li announced plans to sue the residential compound’s property management office to further pursue civil liability, said a report by the Global Times.
In a video posted on Xiaohongshu on Thursday night, Li thanked netizens for their support as well as Chinese media outlets for highlighting the cases.
“Today’s verdict is more than just a verdict on a single case. It sends a clear signal to society that under the rule of law … evil will be punished and justice will prevail,” she said.
“If it wasn’t for everybody’s attention, I don’t think I would have been able to make it till today,” she added.
Newsletter
Week in Review
Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review
Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.
Newsletter
Morning Brief
Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief
An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app