Dog management office under fire for scarce service

By Wang Zhuoqiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-10 09:38

The dog management office in Zhengzhou has received a storm of criticism for spending 7.3 million yuan ($1 million) in two years - money that came from charging license fees of dog owners - without providing more services to the public.

Since the office's founding in 2007, more than 18,000 dogs of an estimated 50,000 dogs were registered in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province.

Dog owners have to pay a license fee of 600 yuan and an annual fee of 200 yuan, creating an income of 13.3 million yuan for the office by September this year, according to statistics released from Zhengzhou Finance Bureau to Dahe Daily.

The information triggered fury among media and the public when the office's deputy director admitted they have dealt with none of the disputes caused by dogs nor provided any actual services.

"We have not punished any dog owners for their dog's improper behaviors," said Wang Ping, deputy director of the dog management office, quoted by the Dahe Daily.

In Zhengzhou, about 4,500 people were vaccinated annually in 2007 and 2008 at local centers for disease control. Most of them were vaccinated after dogs bite them, the paper said.

In 2007, eight people died of rabies and 13 have died so far this year, the paper reported.

The office's main responsibility is to get dog owners registered and charge them license and vaccination fees, Wang told the paper.

Licensing and vaccination cost up to 100 yuan, the paper said.

The high-priced registration fee is meant to limit the number of dogs in the city, the director said.

But one professor disagreed with this.

"The government's job is to reduce the number of assaults caused by dogs, rather than restrict the number of dogs," Zhu Lijia, professor of China National School of Administration, told Dahe Daily.

Zhang Ming, professor of Renmin University of China, told China National Radio that the dog management office is redundant and its budget and expenditures should be monitored.

"Many such government institutions do not have real function," Zhang said.

"But they can charge fees, and the fees go to raises for the officials."

Wang Zhi'an, a commentator for CCTV, said where the money is spent is key to the disputes.

"It makes sense if the money is used on dogs, rather than being embezzled," said Wang.

Wang Ping of the dog management office passed on the question to the local finance bureau. Wang Guanqi, an official with the bureau, asked the reporter refused to be interviewed.

The city government was not available to comment on the latest development yesterday.

He Yong, spokesman for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said the same concerns apply to many dog management offices around the country, which charge heavy fees but provide no dog-friendly facilities nor services to non-dog owners.

"You can charge dog owners but you also have to give benefits to the citizens," He said.