Story By: Buli Liang, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
AsiaWire
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT
This is the moment a Chinese woman manages to save her pet dog from quarantine cops before the camera pans to an officer inhumanely bludgeoning another pooch seemingly to death.
The incident, which has been viewed over 130,000 times on social media, took place in the village of Huangshan in the county of Yongjia located in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang after two locals were diagnosed with COVID-19 (coronavirus).
According to local media, quarantine cops in the area, considered one of the most affected regions hit by COVID-19, were then involved in killing animals out of concerns they are contributing to the spread of the virus.
Reports said that the two villagers were diagnosed with the virus on 10th February and quarantine cops arrived there two days later to kill animals that might have had contact with the infected patients.
In the footage, the woman is seen wearing pyjamas as she leads her dog past cops while shouting: “My dog has a quarantine certificate!”
The camera then pans to one officer seen repeatedly hitting a poor dog over the head with a stick.
At one point, he tells the cameraperson: “We have no choice, this is national policy.”
Reports said the policy has actually been issued by the Yongjia County authorities and there is no national policy to kill pets for COVID-19 reasons.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says on their website: “At present, there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus.”
PETA Asia press officer for China, Keith Guo, told AsiaWire: “Dogs in China are at risk of all sorts of horrors, from the country’s dog-meat and leather industries to the current coronavirus rumour.
“Isn’t it just an excuse for people to abuse animals? Violent acts like this don’t address the public health problem, but only cause more conflicts in society. PETA is calling for this quarantined police officer to be dismissed.”
Netizen ‘Menghui’ commented: “These people are really useless, they should be terminated instead!”
‘QianIRISii’ said: “Poor dog, it was still shaking its tail when the guy
was killing it.”
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