An 11-year-old Chinese boy has been mauled to death by four dogs while playing in an abandoned factory.

The dog attack took place in the city of Handan in the Chinese province of Hebei less than a mile from the victim’s home.

According to the news site Weibo, the youngster, named as Li Furun, was attacked by four dogs while playing in an abandoned factory.

His family reported him as missing three days before his body was found on 23rd January.

According to local reports, the police launched an investigation to track down the owner of the four dogs and arrested a man with the surname Fan.

If convicted of manslaughter, the owner could face a jail sentence of up to seven years.

The local authorities said that the dogs have been “dealt with according to the law”, implying they were put down.

The boy’s death sparked huge debate on Chinese social networks such as Weibo about how the country is regulating the surge in the number of domestic pets.

Numerous conflicts have arisen between residents and pet owners, prompting local governments to formulate new pet ownership laws.

In May last year, a national law was introduced to ensure pet owners keep their dogs on a lead and display a government badge on the animal while exercising it outside.

The investigation into the boy’s death is ongoing.