The number of legally-kept dogs in the Chinese capital has fallen by 40 percent to some 130,000 since the city began issuing dog licenses eight years ago.
No incidents of rabies have been reported over the past eight years, according to local authorities.
This year, however, the authorities have taken new measures to put dogs under even stricter control, in a bid to cut the number of unlicensed dogs.
Under the new policy, the names of dog-owners will be published and the public are encouraged to turn in those who keep unlicenseddogs in their homes.
Last year, the authorities recorded 16,000 cases of illegal activities by dog-owners.
(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2002)
