Some people are very uneasy about the rise in popularity of Tibetan Mastiff dogs in China. A sign of wealth and protection in Tibet for centuries, the Tibetan Mastiff is becoming more popular. With price tags as high as $ 600,000 for a purebred animal, Tibetan Mastiffs are concerning some animal welfare activists.
Why Tibetan Mastiffs are popular
Ethnic Tibetans have long considered Tibetan Mastiff dogs holy. A Tibetan Mastiff is considered a sign of both home and security. Weighing in at as much as 180 pounds, some Tibetan Mastiffs are huge. A truly purebred Tibetan Mastiff dog is rare. A purebred Tibetan Mastiff is generally at risk of being “poached” by breeders.
China’s Tibetan Mastiff costs
For many years in China, the Communist Party banned the ownership of dogs as pets. The Party considered owning a dog a sign of the “bourgeois” society. Animal ownership is no longer banned, but it takes months and hundreds of dollars to license them. Before the owner can register or keep a dog, it must be approved both by the neighborhood and local police. The yearly registration renewal must contain passport photos, registration documents, even proof of home ownership. In short, owning a dog in China is an costly and difficult proposition on top of the high cost.
Will the status symbol put the pets at risk?
Though the Tibetan Mastiff is generally regarded as a very kind and friendly animal, numerous of the wealthy owners and breeders that deal in Tibetan Mastiffs view them as more than pets. The dog called Yangtze River Number Two, a Tibetan Mastiff purchased for $ 600,000, is kept in a cage at home. The International Center for Veterinary Services in Beijing speaks loudly against the obsession with Tibetan Mastiffs. It is noted that many of these so-called “pets” are put on display more than treated like pets. The response from numerous owners and breeders are that the pets take extensive amounts of time and money to care for.
MSNBC
today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38263729/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals
Global Times
globaltimes.cn/www/english/metro-beijing/lifestyle/fashion and amp;shopping/2010-04/524055.html
