Warning: Distressing Content
AsiaWireFootage of a police car in China showed two officers dragging a dog from their car window as they drove.
The upsetting video was taken in Jiangning district in Nanjing, capital of East China’s Jiangsu province.
The officers, from Jiangning Police Station, were reportedly holding the poor animal that way because they ‘didn’t have a cage’.
Watch the distressing video here:
The stray was being pulled along by an officer who was holding a dog snare outside the passenger side window.
Horribly, the little white animal can be seen struggling to keep up with the vehicle and sliding along the asphalt by its paws.
The footage understandably resulted in outrage from its viewers, with the officers being criticised for misconduct and abuse.
Following numerous complaints, the Jiangning Police Station, which is under the Nanjing Public Security Bureau, has released a written statement apologising for the officers’ actions.
The statement explained that a Jiangning resident, surnamed Zhou, had called the police to tell them about the little stray dog, which was supposedly causing concern for the locals.
AsiaWireThe officers captured the dog with the snare because they ‘did not have a cage’ to put it in.
The ‘ill-equipped’ officers – in the bureau’s own words – then made the horrible decision to drag the pooch away next to the car.
The authorities have said they would provide better training to prepare for similar incidents in the future, and apologised to animal lovers for any distress caused.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which has long called for the humane treatment of stray animals in China, has released a statement condemning the police’s actions.
AsiaWireKeith Guo, PETA Asia press officer for China, said:
Though the police car was slow, it was torture for the dog who was strangled and dragged (it was about 2 kilometres away from the police station).
The police apologised and claimed they ‘didn’t bring a cage, and lacked professional skills to deal with stray dogs’. The police who abused the dog and the related officials should be punished.
The police should carry out empathy training for staff, and train the staff to use humane catching tools, such as leads, humane cage traps, tranquillisers, etc.
Fortunately, the dog was resettled with help from a local animal welfare group. We hope the dog, who had severe skin diseases, can recover soon and find a home forever.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.