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Celebrity dog stolen and slaughtered in China, owner seeks justice
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SCMP Economy6/3/2026Crime1 min readChina

Celebrity dog stolen and slaughtered in China, owner seeks justice

Quick Look

  • A popular influencer dog, Chutou, was stolen and slaughtered in central China, highlighting legal gaps in pet protection.
  • The owner, Guo, is seeking justice after the Border Collie, with 1.5 million followers, was taken from his family's fields.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

A celebrity dog, Chutou, an eight-year-old Border Collie with over 1.5 million social media followers, was stolen and slaughtered in central China. The dog belonged to Guo, a travel influencer from Henan province. The incident highlights potential gaps in China's legal protections for pets.

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A celebrity dog in central China was stolen and slaughtered, leaving its owner seeking justice but confronting gaps in the country’s legal protections for pets.

Guo, a travel influencer from Henan province, raised Chutou, an eight-year-old Border Collie known for his intelligence, energy and gentle temperament.

The dog had amassed more than 1.5 million followers on mainland social media after accompanying Guo on years of journeys across China, from snowy mountains to deserts, often guarding him outside his tent at night.

In 2018, Guo bought Chutou from a street vendor for over 2,000 yuan (US$300) when the puppy was just three months old, Fengmian News reported.

Recently, while Guo was on a solo road trip in Georgia, he left Chutou at home with his parents.

On May 11, Guo’s father discovered Chutou missing from the family’s fields. Surveillance footage later showed two strangers taking the dog on an electric bike.

Guo cut short his trip and rushed back to China to search for him.

Open Questions

  • What are the specific legal protections for pets in China?
  • Will the perpetrators be caught and prosecuted?
  • What actions will Guo take to seek justice?
  • What is the current status of Chutou's remains?

Related Topics

This article was originally published by SCMP Economy.

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