For dogs in Chinese city, size matters

Beijing, April 19 (IANS) Authorities in a Chinese city of Harbin have issued directions for dogs, prohibiting their stay in the city in case they grow up beyond a specific height and length or belonged to any of the 49 breeds declared dangerous.

Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province, has adopted the policy in a bid to regulate the rising pet population.

According to police in Harbin, the city will properly re-settle any large dogs it impounds once a ban on raising them takes effect Nov 1. Under a new regulation, dogs taller than 50 cm, longer than 70 cm or on a list of 49 breeds considered "dangerous" will be banned from downtown Harbin, the China Daily reported.

Also under the new policy, households in Harbin may not have more than one dog, and residents are prohibited from raising "large and dangerous" dogs.

The regulation expects local residents to re-settle their large and dangerous dogs between April 1 and Oct 31. After that, police will remove any large dogs from the downtown area.