Dog Days Are Coming: Prepare for 2014 Registration Period

It is that time of year again when all dog owners will need to register or renew the licenses for their dogs. And after last year’s heavy-handed crackdown, dog owners shouldn’t be leaving anything to chance.

The Public Security Bureau (PSB) manages the dog registration and licensing process for the more than 1.2 million registered dogs in Beijing. Dog licenses are valid from May 1 to April 30 of each year, so this means all dog licenses will collectively expire on April 30. The annual dog registration drive will run from May 1 to June 30 and the PSB will be entering into residential compounds to remind dog owners to register, and to check the licenses of any dogs spotted on the streets.

While many dogs may still not be registered, the PSB has been cracking down in recent years to ensure better enforcement of dog licensing regulations. In June 2013, Beijing saw one of the toughest crackdowns on unregistered and large dogs in the past decade.

The crackdowns came after reports of a more than 100% increase in the number of rabies deaths in Beijing, from five confirmed deaths in 2011 to 13 confirmed deaths in 2012. All of these rabies deaths were traced to exposures from unvaccinated or improperly vaccinated dogs. In addition, this year the number of animal bite and wound victims arriving at hospitals and clinics around the city also increased to more than 200,000 in Beijing alone.

To protect your dogs and your families, the International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) is happy to provide information and clarification on the current campaign to enforce the Beijing Regulations on Dog Ownership.

The Regulations on Dog Ownership for Beijing Municipality have been in effect since 1993. In past years, the regulations had not been consistently enforced, resulting in many unregistered and large dogs in all districts across Beijing. Owners beware: This year, the regulations will be STRICTLY ENFORCED.

The Public Security Bureau and its local police stations (pai chu suo) are responsible for the administration and oversight of dog registrations.

The Beijing Regulations on Dog Ownership state that:

• All dogs must be registered. No exceptions. Unregistered dogs are classified as “stray dogs” and may be confiscated.
• Only one dog may be registered to each household addres.
• All dogs must be rabies vaccinated annually in China and must have the Beijing Animal Health and Immunity Certificate (e.g., vaccination red book) to prove legal vaccinations. Owners that imported their dogs from overseas and had the 3-year rabies vaccine must still rabies vaccinate their dogs annually in China.
• The Public Security Bureau will only renew your dog license registration with proof of your dog’s rabies vaccination within the past 12-months (e.g., the official Beijing Animal Health and Immunity Certificate, aka, the vaccination red book).
• The size restriction in key administrative zones (strict enforcement districts) only allows registration of dogs that are 35cms tall or under (measured from ground to shoulder).

We recommend that you do the following to ensure the safety of your dogs:

1.    Ensure your dog has been rabies vaccinated within the past 12 months. Only vaccinate at officially designated animal rabies vaccination hospitals that can issue the official vaccination red book.
2.    ICVS is an officially designated animal rabies vaccination hospital in Chaoyang District and can provide rabies vaccinated animals with the official vaccination red book. Owners will need the vaccination red book to renew dog licenses and to take pets to other cities or overseas.
3.    All dogs with valid registration licenses and the official "fapiao" for registration payment from any PSB station in Chaoyang District may receive a FREE rabies vaccination at ICVS. Dogs with valid licenses from all other districts receive significant discounts on rabies and other vaccinations at ICVS. More information on legally registered animal rabies vaccination hospitals can be found here.
4.    Register your dog or renew your dog license as soon as possible after the May 1st Labor Day holiday as the PSB will start their inspections by early June.
   a.    Initial dog registration fee is RMB 1,000 within the eight key administrative districts.
   b.    Annual renewal fee is RMB 500 within the eight key administrative zones.
   c.    Fees may be lower outside of these eight zones. Please check with your local PSB for current rates.
5.    Always carry a copy of the "fapiao" for the registration fee and the dog license with you when walking your dog. If you carry the originals, have copies at home in case the originals are lost.
6.    Dogs must be rabies vaccinated annually so carry a copy of your vaccination red book when walking your dog.
7.    If you have a large dog and reside in any of the eight key administrative zones, do not leave the compound. Relocating your large dog to an area where he/she can be legally registered may be the only solution in the long-term.
8.    Any large dog on the streets within these eight zones without a license may be taken by the PSB. Large dogs with a valid dog license for 2013/2014 may still face the risk of a challenge and potential confiscation by the police if found within the eight key administrative zones. Inform the police you will take your dog to its area of legal registration immediately.
9.    Always accompany your dog to the police station if you are asked to relinquish your dog.

Visit the ICVS website for step-by-step guidelines on how to register your dog in Beijing.

If you have any questions about dog registration, rabies vaccinations and any other pet care concerns, ICVS are happy to provide guidance and advice for all pets and their families to find solutions for legal dog registration. Direct any queries to icvs_china@yahoo.com with your name, question and mobile number and ICVS will get back to you.

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Mary Peng is the Co-Founder & CEO of International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS).

Photos: Marcin Kargol, Christopher, Peter & Joyce Grace (Flickr)