WDA sent a letter to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau offering suggestions for revising the "Beijing Municipal Dog Ownership Management Regulations"

On April 15, 2026, the World Dog Alliance (WDA) sent a letter to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau's Public Security Management Division, offering suggestions for revising the "Beijing Municipal Dog Ownership Management Regulations." The main contents of the letter are as follows:

Recently, the "Beijing Municipal Regulations on Dog Ownership (Revised Draft)" was released for public comment. Having carefully studied the draft, and in order to enhance the timeliness, civility, and guiding nature of the regulations, we now offer a supplementary suggestion for legislative reference:

It is recommended that the provision prohibiting the consumption of dogs be added to Article 17, Paragraph 9 of the "Beijing Municipal Regulations on Dog Management (Revised Draft)" which prohibits the abuse and abandonment of dogs.

This supplementary suggestion aligns with the social consensus on dogs as companion animals and conforms to the current mainstream direction of urban civilization governance, thus possessing sufficient practical necessity and legislative feasibility.

In recent years, Shenzhen and Zhuhai have successively passed local regulations that explicitly prohibit the consumption of dogs and cats. In practice, the relevant regulations have been implemented smoothly and have a high degree of social acceptance, forming replicable and scalable experiences in the governance of civilized cities.

On March 31, 2020, the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress passed the "Regulations of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone on the Comprehensive Prohibition of Eating Wild Animals," which explicitly prohibits the consumption of dog and cat meat. This engine city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has set a milestone for animal protection in China, bringing hope to millions of dogs and cats.

Subsequently, on May 27, 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs published the "National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources", officially removing dogs from the catalogue, and pointed out that "with the progress of human civilization and the public's attention to and preference for animal protection, dogs have been transformed from traditional livestock into companion animals."

In conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs' "National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources" and the "Regulations of Zhuhai Special Economic Zone on Prohibiting the Consumption of Wild Animals" passed by Zhuhai City on March 31, Zhuhai City has officially and comprehensively banned the consumption of dog and cat meat. This is because the regulations in Zhuhai City clearly stipulate that the animals that can be eaten only include: (i) animals that have been artificially bred and listed in the Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources, and which have been legally permitted for consumption and have passed quarantine and inspection; and (ii) aquatic animals that are not prohibited from being eaten according to laws and regulations.

The legislation in both places has a clear logic, full-chain regulatory coverage, and clear and enforceable penalty standards.

As the capital, the political center, cultural center, international exchange center, and science and technology innovation center of the country, Beijing's legislative choices and governance orientation have a national demonstration effect and trendsetting significance.

The explicit prohibition of consuming dog animals in dog ownership regulations not only authoritatively echoes the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs' definition of dogs as companion animals, but also serves as a necessary requirement for the capital city to practice ecological civilization, promote civilized dog ownership, and guide public order and good customs. This move will not only further improve the city's entire dog management system and prevent public health risks, but also convey a clear attitude of respecting life, opposing cruelty, and advocating modern civilization to the whole country, fully demonstrating the capital's governance level and level of civilization, and setting a benchmark for urban civilization construction nationwide.

Please give this matter full consideration.

The letter of recommendation, drawing on both national policies and local precedents, advocated for adding a "no-eating-dogs" clause to Beijing's dog ownership regulations, a very precise approach. The World Dog Alliance (WDA) consistently seizes every opportunity to actively offer suggestions and advice, sparing no effort in promoting the ban on eating dogs and cats nationwide.