Famous dog ‘is served up in Chinese restaurant after being abducted from farm’ (original) (raw)
Beloved border collie Chutou proved a popular hit online after he had been seen guarding his owner's tent at night as they travelled across China together
A dog made famous on social media is allegedly being served up in a Chinese restaurant after it was kidnapped from a farm and killed.
Chinese social media influencer Guo and his beloved eight-year-old border collie, Chutou, amassed more than 1.5 million followers on the country's version of TikTok, Douyin. The pet pooch joined Gou on journeys across the massive country and earned fans after he was seen guarding his owner outside his tent.
But when Guo recently left Chutou with his parents to undergo a solo tour in Georgia, the pooch went missing. Surveillance footage allegedly showed two strangers taking him away and zooming off on an e-bike on May 11.
Guo tracked down the alleged dognapper 15 days later and reportedly offered him the equivalent of £1,100 for Chutou's safe return. The man said he mistook the dog for a stray but Guo dismissed this, stating Chutou had been wearing both a collar and GPS tracker.
Guo was reportedly later told Chotou was sold to a restaurant serving dog meat for about £20 and that the pet had since been eaten, the South China Morning Post reported. The man who allegedly sold the dog said: "The dog is dead, so stop making a fuss. I did not break the law."
Gou is said to have confronted the worker who slaughtered Chutou and hoped to recover the pet's remains or fur. The butcher is alleged to have replied: "The hair was thrown in the rubbish long ago."
The devastated owner is understood to have reported the incident to the police and submitted evidence of the pet's market value. He did this in the hope it could lead to criminal charges.
The incident sparked outrage online and ignited debate about the meat trade in China. One social media user said: "I cried while watching Chutou’s old videos. Such a bright, living soul ended so tragically. Those who stole, killed and ate him must pay."
It is estimated some 10 million dogs and 4 million cats were killed each year in the country for human consumption, reports Humane World for Animals.
Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.