Baoshan District police say they are trying to mediate a bizarre dispute between two fishermen after one of them, named Wang, bit the other's dog to death on Tuesday night.

Police refused to provide details about Wang and the owner of the dog yesterday, but said both of them are from Hengsha Island, Baoshan.

On Tuesday night, Wang was returning to his boat after drinking some wine. He stopped to tease a dog named A Lang while walking along Fumin Wharf. A Lang, who belonged to another boat owner, knew Wang well and usually wagged its tail on seeing him, according to Laodong Daily.

The paper said A Lang was unable to identify Wang by smell since he reeked of alcohol. Wang was about to get closer to A Lang when the dog suddenly bit his fingers. Wang just managed to throw off the mutt before he bit Wang's cheek. Covered in blood, Wang furiously sprang at A Lang, killing the dog in the ensuing biting, tearing and flinging.

A Lang's owner then alerted Hengsha Frontier Police Station, about the dog's death.

"There is presently no law or regulation to deal with such a dispute. However, to ensure harmony we are trying to mediate between the two sides," Qian Qin, a spokesman of the Baoshan Public Security Bureau, revealed.

Police are now investigating whether the dog had a license, he added.

The municipal government issued The Dogs Regulations in 1993, banning anyone from keeping dogs without a legal permit.

Violators face a fine of up to 30,000 yuan (US$3,600) and the dog can be killed by authorities. The regulations also require the owner to bear all the medical expenses if the pet hurts others.

Wang was not available for comment yesterday so it is unclear how severe his injuries are or whether he would seek compensation from A Lang's owner.

Last October a similar dispute occurred on the island, when a drunken man called Li killed a dog and threw it into the river after being bitten. Li asked for 200-yuan medical compensation from Zhou, the dog's owner, but finally police told both sides to share the expenses.

(Shanghai Daily April 10, 2004)