EAST China’s Hangzhou plans to discipline unruly dog owners starting next week after one dog owner stirred public outrage by beating a mother in front of her two young kids.

The city’s urban administration authorities said Thursday it will launch a campaign targeting bad habits in dog raising, such as walking dogs without a leash and unlicensed ownership, from Nov. 15 to the end of this year.

According to the city’s regulations, dog owners cannot walk their dogs in the daytime (7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), dog excrement must be promptly removed and entering public spaces, such as markets, parks and green spaces with dogs is forbidden.

Violators of the rules could face fines of between 200 and 400 yuan (US$28.9-57.7). Serious violations, such as an injury caused by a dog, might lead to confiscation or the dog-keeping license to be revoked.

Unlicensed pet dogs could be confiscated — or killed in extreme cases — and their owners fined up to 5,000 yuan, according to the urban administration authorities.

The announcement came after a dog owner attacked a mother in front of her two children Nov.3 after the woman kicked the man’s dog while trying to protect her two sons.

The woman suffered a fractured finger as a result and Jin was detained by the police on charges of picking quarrels and provoking trouble. (China Daily)