Recent animal abuse incidents in mainland China have sparked widespread concern over animal protection issues. A volunteer in Shanghai who reported the abuse of cats faced online backlash and doxxing, with personal and family information leaked. In the early hours of July 17, the volunteer attempted suicide at home but was discovered by her father and promptly taken to the hospital for treatment. She is currently undergoing medical care, and her family has vowed to seek justice.
According to a report by the Southern Metropolis Daily, the volunteer, known as “Zhimajie,” suffered from worsening depression due to unfounded rumors spread online about her, leading to the suicide attempt. Fortunately, she was rescued and taken to the hospital in time by her father.
Zhimajie’s father, Mr. Chen, showed media outlets a medical diagnosis stating that his daughter had injuries to her neck and both wrists, and suffered severe mental trauma.
In January of this year, Zhimajie’s pet care group was infiltrated by a large number of unknown individuals who posted videos of cruel cat abuse, including skinning and tendon removal, renaming the group to “Professional Cat Abuse Group.” After Zhimajie reported the incident to the police, the authorities in Shanghai only filed it as an administrative case, but no further action was taken.
By April 8, Zhimajie’s personal information was doxxed, including her ID, address, education, workplace, family members’ details, and even her courier pick-up address, all posted online. Her family reported the incident to the police once again.
On April 17, the Xuhui Branch of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau filed a case against Qiu, suspected of doxxing for infringing citizens’ personal information, but there have been no updates since. Qiu, a freshman student at the Gannan Normal University of Science and Technology in Jiangxi, continued to upload cat abuse videos online even after the incident. On May 14, the school expelled him.
Mr. Chen stated that he has decided to intervene and assist his daughter who attempted suicide, saying, “We are already following legal procedures.”
This volunteer animal protection incident of attempted suicide occurred amid the escalating case of the Guangdong Jieyang boys abusing a dog.
On June 28, four boys in Jieyang abused a mother dog named “Wangwang” on the street, beating her with sticks, setting her on fire, and assaulting her puppies, all while filming and laughing. They uploaded the video of the abuse online, which went viral and sparked global outrage. Public opinion calls for legislation against animal cruelty.
An analyst spoke to BBC Chinese, pointing out that China has witnessed several animal abuse incidents in recent months, causing societal trauma and fueling ongoing controversy, with hopes that these incidents will prompt the government to enact legislation on animal protection.