Outcry after Chinese college guard beats stray dog to death

A university in eastern China has vowed to better handle stray animals after videos of a security guard beating a stray dog to death sparked a public outcry, a TV news station reported.

A security guard at China Pharmaceutical University in Nanjing in Jiangsu province was filmed on Friday hitting the dog’s head multiple times with a stick after two other guards caught and trapped the animal in a net, Jiangsu Internet Television reported.

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A student at the scene told the broadcaster the dog was always meek and had just given birth to a puppy on campus.

The school admitted on Sunday that staff had killed the dog “for the safety of students and teachers” as it might have carried an infection.

“In the future, we will seek help from the police and animal protection groups to handle stray cats and dogs in a more appropriate way,” Wu Zhenhua, deputy director of the school’s security department, was quoted as saying.

Police advised the university to report stray animals as they have a team dedicated to catch and handle stray dogs, the report said.

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PETA Asia, an animal rights group, criticised the college in a statement published on Chinese social media.

“Please stop beating stray dogs and implement scientific and humanitarian policies to manage stray animals,” the statement said.

There is no specific law against animal cruelty on mainland China, although draft legislation has been prepared but not implemented.