The community places several nets as threatening signs for wandering dogs. [Photo/cqcb.com]

A ban on pets in a residential community in Xiaoshan of Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, has stirred up controversy, especially over whether the property management office’s action is legitimate.

According to the notice issued by the office, in order to provide a “comfortable, safe and tidy environment” for all residents, the community had responded to the wishes of a wide range of property owners and would no longer allow pets in the compound. Those already owning pets were told to get rid of them within 15 days regardless of what method they used.

“I’m opposed to the way people raise their dogs,” said an anonymous security guard in the community.

He went on, “Dog excrement is ubiquitous –on the lawns, gardens, elevator doorways, stairways or even underground parking lots. On some rainy days, people walked their dogs underground, where the stinky odor suffocated me, especially in the sultry summer in August, and I had to clean the room.”

A property management office staff member surnamed Chen said the issue of the notice was a reluctant choice as many residents had complained their lives had been severely affected by the noise and waste of the pets.

“Although we cannot interfere with the ownerships of the pets that have been legitimized by registrations and issuance of certificates, we indeed hope that the pets they raise should not be allowed to cause environmental contamination and neighborhood disturbance,” he said.

After the notice was issued, the community placed several nets as threatening signs for wandering dogs, even though there is little chance for any animal to get caught, as few residents walk their pets anymore.

One dog owner commented online, “I can hardly imagine the ramifications of the notice concerning how the property management office will act against the pets after 15 days. It is ludicrous for a notice like that which bans us all to walk with pets simply because of the troubles caused by some irresponsible owners.”

The community, however is divided, with other residents supporting the decision of the property management office.

“I was scared one night when a dog of colossal size threw its entire weight on my car and almost overturned it,” another resident commented online. “The ferocious dogs raised in the community jeopardize the safety of residents.”

Zhang Jinfang, a lawyer from Zhejiang Tianfu Attorney Office, said that the right to raise pets is acceptable as long as they are well controlled, so that policies such as an arbitrary ban on pets were illegitimate and cruel.

However, the attorney also emphasized that people with legally-registered dogs that have been inoculated against diseases should always make sure that their dogs are kept on a leash outside, not allowed to bark beyond 30 to 50 decibels and should be kept away from children and pregnant women.

In addition, the owners should clear away any excrement in a timely manner to ensure clean public surroundings.

Lei Wenfeng, a 15-year-old with autism, was found dead after staying at a squalid care center three months after he wandered away from his father. [Photo/boyangcongpeople]

The investigation of the death of an autistic teenager at a care center in Guangdong province has led to the dismissal of four local officials and criminal detention of 13 people, and the central government called on Monday for better care of homeless people.

A joint investigation group formed by various authorities of Guangdong has found that some officials in the city of Shaoguan and its Xinfeng county failed to perform their duties.

The joint group decided to sack Chen Jinghui, Party chief of Xinfeng where the care center is located, and Lai Qixin, deputy director of Shaoguan’s civil affairs bureau, which is supposed to review applications from such care agencies and supervise their operations.

The other two who were removed are Long Yongwen, former civil affairs bureau chief of Shaoguan and now head of the city’s water bureau, and Liu Xiangtie, chief of Xinfeng’s civil affairs bureau, Xinhua reported on Monday.

The probe was triggered by the death of Lei Wenfeng, a 15-year-old autistic boy who got lost and stayed more than a month in the Lianxi care center before dying in December. The center, which is privately operated under contract with local civil affairs authorities, cares for people of all ages.

Investigators have also found that some local officials gave irresponsible approval to the Lianxi care center project and earned money illegally from its operation.

Four officials, including former head of the Xinfeng civil affairs bureau Li Cuiqiong and former deputy head Pan Zhong’ai, are being investigated for abuse of power. Five other officials, including Yi Biheng, another former head of the county’s civil affairs bureau, are being investigated for dereliction of duty.

All nine are under criminal coercive measures, a judicial term for restriction or denial of personal rights. Of them, Li, Pan and Yi have also been put in criminal detention, according to the release.

In addition, local police have put in criminal detention two executives and eight staff members of the care center. Investigators found that those who ran the care center misused government funds that were supposed to have been used to help the homeless and maltreated some of those being cared for in the center.

Also on Monday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs held a nationwide teleconference to strengthen inspection of all aid stations for the homeless across the country. Such stations, usually government-run, provide care to a person for three months, after which time the person is transferred to a care center.

The ministry required that those who need from 10 to 90 days’ care should be cared for at the aid stations, rather than being transferred to a care center operated by a third party.

Local civil affairs officers should make serious efforts to help these people search for family members.

Photo taken on March 27, 2017 shows damaged houses at quake-hit Puping Village of Yangbi County in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake that hit southwest China has affected the lives of 15,786 people, according to the latest government tally.

The tremor jolted Yangbi County in Yunnan Province at 7:55 a.m. Monday.

One person was injured by falling tiles, and has been treated in time.

Damage was reported in eight townships under Yangbi. Houses collapsed, cracks appeared on walls, while schools, dams, and water facilities were also impaired. The local government said the lives of 2,105 people in 469 households were seriously affected.

Economic loss of the quake was initially estimated at 202 million yuan (29 million U.S. dollars).

The epicenter, at depth of about 12 km, was monitored at 25.89 degrees north latitude and 99.8 degrees east longitude, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. Four tremors measuring 3 to 4.7 on the Richter scale hit the same region before and after the magnitude 5.1 quake.

A multi-sector rescue team, which include firemen, armed police and disaster relief personnel are working at the quake zone.

The first batch of relief goods including 50 tents, 300 quilts, 100 overcoats, 100 cartons of food, 500 kilograms of rice are on the way to the area.