Draft Anti-Animal Cruelty Law Proposes Ban on Starving Animals in Zoos

Yesterday, the "Anti-Animal Cruelty Law" (draft proposal) was released to the public. Compared with the "Animal Protection Law" (draft proposal) released last September, it adds clauses prohibiting the abuse of animals in zoos by means of starvation, and prohibiting the killing of animals in front of minors. Chang Jiwen, head of the drafting team, said the draft proposal will be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress next week.

Last September, the "Animal Protection Law" (draft proposal) was released and public suggestions were solicited. Chang Jiwen, director of the Social Law Research Office of the Institute of Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and head of the drafting team, said that as of mid-January 2010, the drafting team had received more than 700 suggestions.

In the "Animal Protection Law", clauses stating that animal cruelty will be pursued for criminal liability and prohibiting the organization of animal fighting and killing activities have been retained. Chang Jiwen said that in response to the recent incident in Shenyang in which a Siberian tiger starved to death, clauses were added prohibiting the abuse of animals in zoos by means of starvation, and prohibiting the killing of animals in front of minors.

In response to conflicts caused in society by the consumption of cats and dogs, the draft proposal adopts a flexible approach allowing each place to handle the matter according to local customs. (Lan Jun)