Priyanka Sharma

    consultpriyanka1@gmail.com

    ONE year ago, when I first arrived in Shenzhen, I was welcomed by the city’s large population of dogs. As a dog lover, I was in heaven and didn’t waste any time in welcoming a four-footed friend into my home.

    But before long, my little one felt ill. According to the vet, his ailment was due to the poor living conditions at the pet store.

    I went to confront the pet shop owner but he refused to see me, much less take any responsibility.

    It took everything the doctor had, but after three months of needles, medicinal baths, tablets and ointments, my baby recovered.

    My vet commended my patience and said that many people would have chosen the easy way out — put it down or abandon it.

    I was shocked by her words but found them to be true when I began hearing about the overwhelming number of abandoned dogs, dog-napping, owners putting their dog down over illnesses and more.

    For many people in China (local Chinese and expats), dogs are nothing more than an accessory, a symbol of their high social status. To buyers of medium to large breeds, they are a symbol of power. And some people get a dog purely out of curiosity.

    One thing that is common among all these people is the lack of understanding about raising and caring for a dog.

    People often think of a dog as just another farm animal, but the moment they realize the hard work required to raise a puppy or a dog, not to mention the cost, is nothing less than raising a human child, they bail out. And in their irresponsible experiment the one that suffers the most is the dog.

    At first glance, a puppy might look cute and many people take a pet home with little thought. But please understand that a dog is not a toy — it’s a living, breathing animal that will love you unconditionally and would want the same from you. Think as hard as you would think before bringing a child into this world. Are you ready for it? Do you have the financial means to support it? Do you have time for it? Are you ready for an eight- to 12-year (or longer) commitment?

    If the answer is yes, then do your research. What breed will suit your lifestyle? Consider the size of your home, your physical activeness, should it be a male or female.

    Once you have made a shortlist, study your selected breeds. If the weather of your city will suit the dog, what kind of health problems could you expect? Find a responsible, licensed vet and take his/her advice.

    For expats, please ask yourself if you will be willing to go through the hassle of paperwork and, once again, the cost involved when it’s time to go home or move to another country. Or will you be adding another dog to the city’s population of homeless pets?

    And last but not least, find a reliable breeder. With the growing popularity of dogs, pet shops are sprouting in the city like wild mushrooms. Pet shop owners don’t know the first thing about dogs or dog breeding and will sell you a sick puppy or a stolen dog for a little profit in a heartbeat. If possible, try to find a dog shelter and see if you can adopt one rather than buying.

    Once you have a dog, be patient with it and train it. Don’t expect the dog to magically know the dos and don’ts. I have seen so many owners hitting and mistreating their dogs. Many adopters return the pet just because it poops in the house. It takes two to three years for a human child to get potty trained — a dog will take only a few months to adapt to his new home.

    But all hope is not lost. There are volunteers and private groups in Shenzhen that are working for the wellbeing of the city’s dogs. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you cannot take care of your dog anymore, please seek help instead of just abandoning them to suffer alone and meet a dreadful end.

    (The author is an aspiring writer with a passion for travel and photography.)