Beijing mulls updated rules for dog ownership

Beijing lawmakers are considering a new framework for dog ownership that would more clearly define owners' responsibilities and introduce more detailed rules governing dogs in shared urban spaces.

The draft regulation was reviewed on Wednesday by the Standing Committee of the 16th Beijing Municipal People's Congress, the municipal legislative body. The existing rules have been in force for more than 20 years and the proposed regulation would replace them, according to Beijing Daily.

The proposal contains 58 articles in seven chapters, covering registration and electronic identification, owners' responsibilities, access to public places, dog-related businesses, and shelter and adoption.

The draft comes against the backdrop of a growing urban pet population, with pets increasingly providing companionship and emotional support to owners.

China had an estimated 53.43 million pet dogs in urban areas in 2025, up 1.6 percent from the previous year, according to the 2026 China Pet Industry White Paper released by the Petdata industry platform, according to a report by CCTV.com.

As of May, Beijing had more than 300,000 registered dogs, according to the municipal legislature, which said requests for public services and dispute resolution related to dogs had also increased.

A central section of the proposal concerns owners' liability for harm caused by their pet dogs.

People who abandon or abuse dogs, or repeatedly allow their dogs to disturb neighbors despite warnings, could be barred from keeping dogs for five years.

A lifetime ban could be imposed if abuse leaves a dog disabled, leads to its death, or causes a serious adverse social impact. The same penalty could also apply if a dog seriously injures another person or causes a serious adverse social impact.

Fines for violations would also be increased, with penalties escalating according to the severity of offenses.

The proposal also focuses on preventing problems before they occur.

Individuals would remain prohibited from keeping or selling breeds officially classified as dangerous, with the list to be published at a later stage.

The current blanket ban on large dogs would be removed. However, large dogs would be required to wear muzzles in public and each handler would be allowed to walk only one dog at a time. In elevators, handlers would be required to give way to other passengers and avoid riding with them whenever possible.

The proposal also distinguishes between different types of public venues.

Dogs would continue to be prohibited from entering schools, hospitals, museums, theaters, sports venues, restaurants and canteens. Markets, shopping malls, commercial streets, hotels, parks and other public green spaces could choose to allow dogs.

A survey by Beijing Daily in January found that more than 30 shopping malls in the capital described themselves as pet-friendly. Visits to nearly 10 of the venues found that entry requirements, facilities and enforcement practices varied considerably.

Under the draft regulation, pet-friendly venues would be required to clearly specify where and when dogs are allowed, display prominent signs, and implement appropriate safety and hygiene measures.

Recent incidents elsewhere in China have also drawn attention to owners' responsibility for keeping their dogs under control.

Earlier this month, two dogs escaped from their owner's home and bit a boy on the leg in a residential compound in Shanghai's Qingpu district. Local police said the boy was not in a life-threatening condition, criminal coercive measures were taken against the owner, and the dogs were impounded.

In another case in Jiangsu province in January, the owner of a German shepherd received an administrative penalty after the dog bit a local resident on the leg, according to local police.