China lawmaker proposes dog tax

Dog ownership is on the rise in China's cities

A Chinese lawmaker has proposed a tax on urban dog-owners to curb growing numbers of the animals and to fight rabies, state media has reported.

Jian Deming also said the measure would help raise money to clean up dog waste that litters the country's major cities, Xinhua news agency said.

Beijing blames a recent surge in rabies on the popularity of pet ownership, and owners' failure to vaccinate them.

Last year, China proposed measures to limit households to just one dog each.

Mr Jian, a deputy to the National People's Congress from the eastern Jiangsu province, said the "dog tax" was needed to balance the interests of dog owners and those who do not have pets.

Angry protests

He said that the revenue raised could be used in rabies prevention and urban sanitation across China.

He added that dangerous or large dogs should be banned in urban areas.

Last November, China began implemented its "one dog" policy as part of a campaign to combat rabies, Xinhua said.

It said owning a second dog would be outlawed in much of the capital, and anyone keeping unlicensed dogs faced prosecution.

The move triggered angry protests by some 200 people in the capital.