"Evil Does Not Exist": An Investigation of Animal Abuse in China

• In Event: Green Criminology I: Animal Abuse, Fishing and Hunting

Abstract

Current laws in mainland China treat animals as the property of people, and there are no laws that protect animal rights. From a legal perspective, it seems that animal cruelty is not a major public concern in China. In recent years, however, animal cruelty has become a significant social issue in China. The hashtag #rescuingstrayanimals has received 1.3 billion views and 290k participants on Xiaohongshu (RED), and over 8.6 billion views on Douyin. Chinese mass media, key opinion leaders, NGOs, grassroots volunteers, and technology companies have made considerable effort to reduce animal cruelty and improve animal welfare. The current study examines the recent developments of animal anti-cruelty practices in China, especially the mobilization strategies of multiple participants and their claims. It is found that the burgeoning public debate and effort have eased restrictions on pets in some areas, but animal rights legislation remains unresolved. The absence of laws leads to a lack of effective punishment for animal cruelty in specific regulatory practices. To our knowledge, the current study is the very first research to examine the animal abuse in China. We hope to contribute to the global discussion on animal abuse and green criminology.

Authors

• Chen Shi, University of Macau

• Yifan You, University of Macau