Anti-cruelty to Animals Law proposes to ban zoos from mistreating animals with hunger

The Anti-Animal cruelty Law (proposed draft) was announced to the public yesterday, adding provisions prohibiting animal abuse in zoos by starvation and culling animals in front of minors compared with the Animal Protection Law published in September last year. Chang Jiwen, head of the drafting group, said the draft proposal would be sent to the standing Committee of the National people's Congress next week.

In September last year, the Animal Protection Law (draft proposal) was published and asked for advice from the community. Chang Jiwen, director of the Social Law Research Office of the Institute of Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and head of the drafting group, said that as of mid-January 2010, the drafting group had received more than 700 suggestions.

The provisions of the Animal Protection Law on cruelty to animals will be investigated for criminal responsibility, and provisions prohibiting the organization of animal bites and killings will be retained. Chang Jiwen said that in response to the recent starvation of Siberian tigers in Shenyang, new provisions have been added to prohibit animal cruelty in the form of hunger in zoos and the culling of animals in front of minors.

In view of the contradictions caused by the consumption of cats and dogs in the society, the proposal draft adopts flexible methods to deal with them according to local customs. (lan Yun)