Controversy
In 2011, the city banned pet dogs after rabies killed 42 people over the preceding 3 years. The city planned to remove all remaining dogs from the city centre. A government spokesman said "We hope that all citizens will cooperate with us in creating a civilised Jiangmen and send their dogs to live in the outskirts or rural areas," a 13 acre site has been set aside to allow rural Chinese to adopt the dogs, but the City has warned that it may be forced to seize and put down any remaining dogs left in Pengjiang, Jianghai and Xinhui districts after the 26th of August, 2011. An estimated 30,000 dogs will be affected. Dr. Tang Qing of the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention at China's Centre for Disease Control reportedly believes that culling is not scientific, humane, or effective in preventing rabies over the long term. Before the policy was implemented, though, public outcry led to officials backing down, leaving in place the ban on dogs in public but announcing violators would be told to leave rather than have the dog confiscated.
Read more about this topic: Jiangmen
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