Families in downtown Qingdao, Shandong province, can now keep only one dog, which the owners must register for 400 yuan ($59).

 

山东青岛市出台新规定，住在市区的家庭每家只能养一只狗，并且要花400元（59美元）给狗登记。

 

The new regulation, which took effect on Monday, also prohibited 40 breeds, including mastiffs, German shepherds and St. Bernards.

 

"An eligible¹ dog should get a rabies vaccine² and a license³, and have an electronic chip implanted during the registration⁴ process," said Zhao Jun, an official at the Qingdao public security bureau.

 

The electronic chip, which is implanted under the skin of a dog's neck, stores information about the animal, its owner and the date of vaccination⁵.

 

Registration work will start on Thursday, with 30 pet hospitals authorized⁶ to provide the service.

 

Zhao said dogs have become a serious social problem as increasing numbers of city dwellers⁷ are keeping them.

 

"Pet lovers and those who don't like animals often have disagreements, and some dogs negatively affect the city's environment and people's lives," Zhao said. "The regulation came out after the consideration of opinions of experts, officials and residents, and after reviewing domestic and international experience," Zhao said.

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