Tigers' deaths spur reform cry
Source: Xinhua |
March 19, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IN the wake of the death of 13 captive Siberian tigers in a northeast China zoo, legal experts have made an online proposal for a "law against animal abuse."
The proposal, posted online on Wednesday, will be revised after experts review public responses. It will then be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in April, said Chang Jiwen of the Law Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who participated in the draft of the proposal.
A total of 13 Siberian tigers have died over three months in Shenyang Forest Wild Animal Zoo, including 11 dead of malnutrition and two shot while mauling a zoo worker in November 2009, said Liu Xiaoqiang, vice chief of the Shenyang Wild Animal Protection Station.
"What happened at the zoo was not an isolated case. There are multiple cases of hungry zoo animals mauling people. And our survey shows that many privately owned zoos were not doing well financially," said Chang.
Legal loopholes made regulation and enforcement of privately owned zoos impossible, said Liu.
The Law on Protection of Wildlife does not provide for any punishment for irresponsible zoo owners who abuse the animals.
In addition, the Property Law stipulates that zoo owners have the right to keep animals and animal protection authorities have no right to interfere, said Liu.
"We will also propose to China's lawmakers to include 'animal abuse' as an offense and stipulate penalties," said Chang.
The proposal suggests fining and detaining those who eat dog or cat meat illegally. A recent poll on Sina.com, a popular portal, shows that among 40,007 respondents, 51.5 percent supported the suggestion, but 45.6 percent doubted it could be effectively implemented.
The experts also proposed to ban pets owners from abandoning their pets irresponsibly and stopping cruelty to animals used in scientific experiments.
The proposal, posted online on Wednesday, will be revised after experts review public responses. It will then be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in April, said Chang Jiwen of the Law Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who participated in the draft of the proposal.
A total of 13 Siberian tigers have died over three months in Shenyang Forest Wild Animal Zoo, including 11 dead of malnutrition and two shot while mauling a zoo worker in November 2009, said Liu Xiaoqiang, vice chief of the Shenyang Wild Animal Protection Station.
"What happened at the zoo was not an isolated case. There are multiple cases of hungry zoo animals mauling people. And our survey shows that many privately owned zoos were not doing well financially," said Chang.
Legal loopholes made regulation and enforcement of privately owned zoos impossible, said Liu.
The Law on Protection of Wildlife does not provide for any punishment for irresponsible zoo owners who abuse the animals.
In addition, the Property Law stipulates that zoo owners have the right to keep animals and animal protection authorities have no right to interfere, said Liu.
"We will also propose to China's lawmakers to include 'animal abuse' as an offense and stipulate penalties," said Chang.
The proposal suggests fining and detaining those who eat dog or cat meat illegally. A recent poll on Sina.com, a popular portal, shows that among 40,007 respondents, 51.5 percent supported the suggestion, but 45.6 percent doubted it could be effectively implemented.
The experts also proposed to ban pets owners from abandoning their pets irresponsibly and stopping cruelty to animals used in scientific experiments.
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