![Shanghai Mulling One-Dog Policy Due to Pet Boom Shanghai Mulling One-Dog Policy Due to Pet Boom](https://www.medindia.net/afp/images/Lifestyle-US-NewYork-China-121547.jpg)
Under the policy, dog owners must also give their pets' puppies to eligible no-dog households or to government-approved adoption agencies before the pups reach three months, the newspaper said.
Dog ownership has grown alongside China's fast-expanding middle class with official estimates putting Shanghai's pet dog population at 800,000 -- although only a quarter of that number are registered, the report said.
The draft law also called for the annual licence fee to be cut to 300 yuan (45 dollars) from the current range of 1,000 to 2,000 yuan. Critics have said high fees discourage people from registering and vaccinating dogs.
The report quoted one Shanghai dog-lover as saying officials should focus on educating citizens on how to raise pets responsibly -- such as having them neutered -- instead of developing draconian measures.
"The government should improve public knowledge about how to raise a dog and how to prevent them from attacking people... instead of forcing us to raise one dog only," a resident surnamed Wang said.
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Source-AFP