UMVA has learned that a beloved dog with over 1.5 million followers on social media was brutally stolen from his family's farm in China, leading to a heart-wrenching tale of betrayal and tragedy.
The eight-year-old border collie, Chutou, had captured the hearts of millions on the Chinese social media platform Douyin, but his life was cut short in a shocking turn of events. Chutou's owner, Chinese travel influencer Guo, had left him with his parents at their farm in Shanqui while traveling, but on May 11, a man and a woman on an electric scooter were caught on surveillance footage taking the animal from the farm.
The family immediately notified authorities, and Guo returned from his trip to track down the suspects in a nearby village. The alleged thieves reportedly told Guo that they thought Chutou was a stray and admitted selling him to a dog trader, who then resold him to a restaurant.
In a chilling and disturbing twist, Chutou was slaughtered and eaten the same day he was sold to the restaurant, leaving Guo devastated and seeking justice. When Guo confronted one of the alleged thieves, he was callously told, "The dog is dead, stop making a fuss. I did not break the law."
Guo's quest for justice has been met with a harsh reality: animal protection laws in China are relatively weak, with pets treated more or less as property. There's also no ban on eating dog meat, making it a challenging battle for Guo to seek compensation for the loss of his beloved pet.
Guo is now seeking criminal charges against the alleged thieves and compensation for the loss of Chutou, valued by lawyers at $10,000. The influencer's determination to bring attention to Chutou's tragic fate has sparked a wave of outrage and sympathy, highlighting the need for stronger animal protection laws in China.
