Residents who refuse to leash their dogs on the street and in other public places in Guangzhou will be brought to police substations for education and punishment under a new regulation.

And Guangzhou police will join hands with other law enforcement officials to launch a campaign to correct locals' "uncivilized" conduct with their dogs, which will begin in mid-November and last through the end of the year.

The regulation was initiated after many dog-owning residents were found to have broken Guangzhou's dog rules.

Currently many dogs in the city do not have a license and they are often walked in public places without a leash, said a police officer from the Guangzhou municipal bureau of public security yesterday.

"We should strengthen law enforcement in the following months to correct residents' uncivilized conduct in raising dogs," said the officer who refused to be named.

In addition to keeping their dogs on the leash, residents are required to clean their dogs' waste, according to the regulations.

The new rules, passed in July, aim to standardize the dog-raising industry and prevent rabies from spreading in the southern metropolis.

The new rules limit families in Guangzhou to only one dog also requires dog owners to carry their pets' licenses with them and step aside for pedestrians when they take them out for a walk. No one who is under age is allowed to walk a dog in the streets, parks and other public places.

And those who violate the rules will be fined up to 2,000 yuan ($300).

Guangzhou, the capital of Gunagdong province, is the first city in the province to legislate "civilized conduct" regarding pets.

The regulations have sparked controversy among the locals.

Wen Xiaojun, a local white collar worker, said it is a waste of public resources to bring a dog owner to a police substation for education after breaking the regulations.

"Police officers should warn the dog owners first and ask them to correct their uncivilized conduct at the scene," Wen told China Daily yesterday.

Wen, who raises a dog at home, frequently takes her pet out for walks in the evening and over weekends.

But Huang Xueqing, a local housewife, said police should strengthen law enforcement to standardize the city's dog raising industry and seriously punish those who break relevant laws and rules.

"The growing number of dogs found in local streets and public places have not only dirtied our environment, but also hurt residents and spread rabies," she said.