All dogs in Shanghai must have electronic identification chips inserted into their necks by next year or they will be confiscated from their owners, according to the city's public security bureau.
The chips, which are injected into a dog, hold information about its owner, medical background and what shots it has received.
"The plan is good, I will get my dog injected as soon as possible," said Zhu Liping, 50, who owns a Maltese puppy in Baoshan District.
"If my dog is lost someday, others can easily find out that he belongs to me through the police database," said Zhu.
Previously, police had to rely on pictures to find the owner of a lost dog.
While Zhu supports the plan, she does worry that the chip might make her puppy feel uncomfortable.
The chips last for 20 years, which means one should last for the entire life of an average dog, which tends to be 16 to 17 years.
There are currently some 89,000 registered dogs in the city, and a huge, though uncalculated, number of unregistered mutts. Last year, officials picked up 53,000 unregistered dogs in the city.
Police said they will enforce a crackdown on unregistered dogs.
Many dog owners in the city chose not to register their pets in order to sidestep paying for a license, which costs 2,000 yuan (US$240), and paying a 200 yuan (US$24) health examination fee.
The new chips will be injected into dogs for free, according to city officials.
(eastday.com March 10, 2003)
|
