Dogs have been called "man's best friend" for centuries and bring joy to owners, who treat the animal almost like one of the family. The estimated 150 million pet dogs in China are evidence our love for dogs has not waned.

However the issue of dog ownership is causing heated debate. Many of China's new dog masters are proving to be irresponsible owners.

The rise of rabies in recent years has highlighted the problem of irresponsible dog ownership.

Last week the thorny issue of dog ownership was discussed in Beijing between dog owners and government officials in charge of pet management.

It is impossible to force local people to give up their beloved pets, so such a discussion was a meaningful way to encourage better and more responsible behaviour from these pet owners.

These citizens were made aware of their responsibilities and the inconvenience an untamed dog can cause to their neighbours.

Some constructive ideas were suggested. Owners face severe penalties if they desert their pet dogs; a special account for the dog registration fees should be set up, and voluntary resident organizations should be established to supervise pet dog owners.

Some of the regulations Beijing has adopted to prohibit irresponsible dog ownership need further consideration.

For example, one of the laws stipulates that keepers are not allowed to lead their pets into elevators during rush hour and they are supposed to muzzle their dogs when using elevators.

Yet, very few pet dogs are wearing muzzles in elevators. Many keepers defy this rule by using the elevators with their pets at any hour they like. It is apparent that such a stipulation is very hard to police unless special guards are employed. Given the vast number of residential neighbourhoods, this measure is unrealistic.

Another suggestion was for the government to use the dog registration fees to organize training classes for pet owners.

Relevant departments welcome this proposal, saying experts will be invited to train people on how to stop their pets from barking at people and how to train their pets to urinate or defecate at fixed locations in public places.

Many actions are required by the government and community managers to keep this problem in check and the onus also lies with dog owners to become more responsible and ensure their pets are not causing a nuisance to the community.

The Beijing discussions were meaningful, and from these talks, the most appropriate solutions can be devised to tackle this issue.

(China Daily November 20, 2006)