Banned in Beijing

Apparently, in 2003, Beijing, China banned a number of "large, vicious" dog breeds; linked is only an "example" list, as it's dogs with a mature height of over 35 centimeters are not allowed.

35 centimeters. That's 13.7 inches. If breed has been repeatedly been found not to have to do with aggression (in American courts of law, anyway. And with people who, y'know, know about dogs), then what does height have to do with "viciousness"?

Granted, this blog is not readable in China anyway. If that tells you something. I wasn't really sure what I'd "done" that got me banned. Perhaps it's because Elka is too big? Geeze, a 13.7 inch limit. That means Elka is like two dogs, with some wiggle room. She's 29 inches.

Interestingly, in this article in the New York Times about it, the billboard in the picture features a Doberman and a child (granted, the child is a little dubious looking, but the Doberman is cool). People in Beijing with huskies, labs, and Golden Retrievers are hiding their dogs in their homes, walking them only at night, or only allowing them to relieve themselves on balconies, for fear of their dogs being seized. I can only imagine that the seized dogs are then euthanized. People who can afford it are sending their "big vicious" dogs (boxers, poodles, collies) outside of the city, to be safely boarded in kennels there.

I'm very sorry for dog owners in Beijing, having to go through this. I can't imagine living in the fear that the police would bust down my door and take my dog away. In America, I luckily don't have to worry about that.