Shocking images of two bloodied dogs brutally attacked by a mob in a Chinese city have emerged online, triggering an overwhelming outrage among animal rights groups and the public.
The two Tibetan mastiffs were hunted down by a 100-strong mob, including 20 policemen and 40 security guards, after wandering off from their village farm into the streets of Shijiazhuang city in Hebei province.
The owner of the large dogs was away when the animals strayed into an apartment complex and surprised an old man. The man started shouting and threw bricks at the animals. By then, the ruckus drew attention and soon after dozens of men began chasing the dogs down.
Photos appeared to show men with spades bludgeoning the large dogs to death. One image showed the brown-coloured animal badly injured with his legs covered in blood.
The brown mastiff had tried to hide in some long grass but was spotted by the police and shot six times, reports said.
“We believe it was still alive after that and it was then chopped up by people hitting it with spade,” according to a police spokesman.
The other dog, a black mastiff, was also beaten to death by residents.
Police were also considering charges against the owner of the dogs for not keeping them under control.
Under local by-laws, large dog breeds, such as the mastiff, are regarded as dangerous and outlawed in the city. But the excessive use of force by the mob in Hebei have provoked fury among animal rights campaigners.
“Unfortunately, this type of abuse is completely legal in China, where there are no comprehensive animal welfare laws, and even though living with companion animals is becoming increasingly accepted in some ares, it is still a relatively new practice in the country,” said People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an animal welfare group.
By Maesie Bertumen
Image: Sebra / Shutterstock.com
