Dog cull in China to fight rabies

From BBC News Dog cull in China to fight rabies

By Quentin Sommerville BBC News, Shanghai

Only police and military dogs were spared

A county in south-west China has ordered all 50,546 dogs to be killed to fight a rabies outbreak which has killed three people, state media says.

It has taken five days, but authorities in Mouding County in south-west China say they have killed almost all of the 50,000 dogs in the area.

Some of the dogs were clubbed to death in the street as their owners watched.

Other dog owners took matters into their own hands, poisoning or electrocuting their pets.

They were paid around $0.60 (£0.32) for each dog in compensation.

Pete's Points

I guess this will come as a blow to all of the owners who have probably spent more on dog food than the 60 cents they will receive in compensation.

I have just one question.

Is rabies a disease that can survive the death of the host?

If not, then a great marketing opportunity may have been missed.

I have been led to understand that dog is considered a rare delicacy in China.

Just think, over 50 thousand family meals.