New One-Dog Policy Takes Effect in Shanghai, China

In the land of the one-child policy, there is now a one-dog policy in effect in Shanghai, China's largest city, mirroring similar laws already in place in Beijing and Guangzhou. The policy was adopted this past February, but was implemented as of today. Pet-owners with more than one dog are allowed to keep them, but new licenses are to be issued only to homes currently without a dog. The reason for the policy is apparently to prevent unlicensed dogs from roaming the cities and biting people, causing alarms about the spread of rabies.

Shanghai's new pet ownership rules also slash steep fees for dog registration — in hopes of bringing more undocumented dogs onto the books — and require those walking dogs to keep them on leashes.

Only about 140,000 of Shanghai's estimated 800,000 dogs have been registered under current rules, which require payment of a 2,000 yuan ($300) fee every year for those living downtown and half that for those in the suburbs.