It's an end, but also a beginning—An in-depth review of Beijing's first criminal prosecution case involving pet poisoning.

As of April 16, 2026, the first criminal prosecution case in Beijing involving pet poisoning, which has attracted widespread public attention, has concluded its trial.

I. Complete Case Review

(a) Final judgment

	name	content	Effective date
Criminal part	Crime of releasing dangerous substances	4 years imprisonment	December 30, 2025
Civil part	Civil compensation	1,000 yuan to over 22,000 yuan	April 16, 2026
	Key points: ① The amount of civil compensation is calculated based on the purchase price of each dog, rescue costs, funeral expenses, and other direct property losses. ② Claims for mental distress damages (e.g., RMB 250,000 per person): All claims were rejected; neither the first nor the second instance courts supported them.

(II) Comparison of Papi's mother's personal demands and the judgment

Papi's mother's request	The court's final judgment
Property damage: 20,000 yuan (Based on the lowest market price for West Highland White Terriers)	8,000 yuan (Only direct property losses supported by receipts are recognized)
Compensation for emotional distress: 250,000 yuan (Including lost wages due to resignation, treatment for depression, and the impact of long-term rights protection, etc.)	Compensation for mental distress: 0 yuan

(III) Complete Timeline of the Case

time	event	Remark
September 14, 2022	Multiple pets in Changyiyuan residential community in Chaoyang District were poisoned, resulting in the deaths of 9 dogs and 2 cats.	The perpetrator, Zhang Mouhua (a 65-year-old homeowner), put chicken necks containing sodium fluoroacetate into the water.
End of September 2022	Police identified and arrested Zhang Mouhua.	Zhang Mouhua admitted to poisoning. Motives: Dislike of dog urination on the tricycle; granddaughter's fear of dogs.
December 2022	Chaoyang Public Security Bureau has filed a case for "the crime of releasing dangerous substances".	Beijing's first criminal case involving pet poisoning has been filed.
January 5, 2023	Chaoyang Court formally accepted the case.	Eleven dog owners who were victims have filed civil suits attached to the criminal case.
October 26, 2023	First hearing of the first trial (Wenyuhe Court, Chaoyang District)	The trial was subsequently postponed nine times.
December 11, 2025	The first-instance judgment: Zhang Mouhua was found guilty of endangering public safety by dangerous means and sentenced to four years in prison. Zhang Mouhua stated in court that he would appeal.	The civil case supported partial compensation for economic losses, but no compensation for emotional distress was awarded.
December 18, 2025	Papi's mother and others applied for an appeal from the prosecutor's office.	Chaoyang District Procuratorate rejected the appeal request.
December 30, 2025	Since the appeal period expired and Zhang Mouhua failed to submit appeal materials within the statutory appeal period, the criminal judgment became effective.	The 4-year sentence has officially taken effect.
January 22, 2026	Papi's mother and four other victimized dog owners filed an appeal with the Beijing Third Intermediate People's Court regarding the civil aspect (compensation for emotional distress).	The criminal case has taken effect; only the civil appeal remains.
March 24, 2026	The second instance hearing of the civil case was held. (Beijing Third Intermediate People's Court)	The trial lasted approximately two hours, with the defendant appearing online.
April 16, 2026	The second instance judgment in the civil case is as follows: The appeal was dismissed and the original judgment was upheld.	Compensation for emotional distress is still not supported. The case has been officially closed.

II. Key Judicial Implications from the Case

The World Dog Alliance team closely followed the entire process of this case and conducted a comprehensive review and legal analysis from a professional perspective. We believe that this case is a textbook example of judicial practice in the field of companion animal protection in China. It not only broke the deadlock of previous poisoning cases ending with civil compensation and achieved a major breakthrough in criminal prosecution, but also directly exposed the shortcomings of my country's current animal protection legal system.

1. Legislative lag is the biggest bottleneck in the protection of companion animals.

The core reason why the court rejected the claim for damages for emotional distress is that, under the current legal framework, companion animals are still defined as ordinary private property and are not included in the category of family members, and therefore do not have independent personality rights.

Through years of legislative efforts, the World Dog Alliance (WDA) has found that most developed countries worldwide, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan, have already recognized the vital and emotional value of companion animals and endorsed related claims for emotional distress. Therefore, the fundamental solution to companion animal protection lies in prioritizing legislation and filling legal gaps.

2. Criminal prosecution is feasible.

In the past, most cases of dog poisoning were treated as civil property disputes, with extremely low costs for violating the law and little deterrent effect. However, this case classified the individual's poisoning behavior as the crime of releasing dangerous substances, approaching it from the perspective of endangering public safety, successfully initiating criminal prosecution proceedings, and setting a record for the first such case in a first-tier city like Beijing.

The World Dog Federation concludes that acts of malicious poisoning, abuse, or cruelty to companion animals can be prosecuted under existing laws by including such incidents in the categories of serious crimes such as endangering public safety, disturbing public order, and releasing dangerous substances. This would significantly increase the criminal and civil costs for perpetrators and create a strong deterrent.

III. The World Dog Alliance (WDA) solemnly calls for the promotion of companion animal protection.

1. Make every effort to promote the implementation of special legislation.

Currently, my country lacks a dedicated "Companion Animal Protection Law" and specific anti-cruelty provisions, resulting in insufficient penalties for the slaughter, consumption, abuse, and poisoning of companion animals. For many years, the World Dog Alliance has been actively advocating for legislation at the national and local levels, collaborating with National People's Congress deputies and legal experts to offer suggestions and urge the acceleration of the legislative process for companion animal protection. This aims to formally enshrine the legal concept of companion animals in law, clarify their life value and legal status, fundamentally fill legal gaps, and severely punish acts that harm animals.

3. Seek supporting judicial interpretations.

In response to the current difficulties in determining the value of companion animals and the lack of support for compensation for emotional distress, the World Dog Alliance hopes to promote the introduction of targeted judicial interpretations to unify the standards for adjudicating similar cases, break the inherent judicial perception that "pets are only considered property," and provide a clear legal basis for subsequent rights protection.

4. Promote the humanistic concept of companion animals.

There is still considerable room for improvement in public awareness of companion animals. The World Dog Alliance (WDA) will continue to promote the emotional value and ethical considerations of companion animals to the general public through various means, including public education campaigns, school lectures, short video platforms, and offline charity events. This aims to dispel prejudice and indifference, establish a social consensus on respecting life and treating companion animals kindly, and fundamentally reduce the occurrence of malicious poisoning and abuse of companion animals.

Conclusion

For everyone concerned about the protection of companion animals, this case is not the end, but a brand new beginning. Change never happens overnight; every courageous voice and every popularization of knowledge is quietly cultivating a social environment that values life.

In the future, the World Dog Alliance will continue to focus on four major areas: legislative promotion, legal aid, public education, and international collaboration, so that the rule of law can protect goodwill and civilization can nurture life.