Four boys in Jieyang, Guangdong, killed a homeless mother dog named “Wang Wang” and her puppies on the street, sparking outrage across the internet. While the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is suppressing voices of concern, they have publicized a criminal gang that scam online donors by deceiving them with fake stories of purchasing and helping disabled and elderly stray dogs. Some analysts believe that the CCP’s intention is to divert public attention and international pressure.
According to a report by CCTV News, in July 2024, a netizen named Ms. Fang was moved by a live stream from a place called “Little Stray Animal Home”. In the footage, several stray dogs were curled up in a yard with a message saying “Pet base in dire need of help, hoping for assistance from viewers”. Ms. Fang then clicked on the shopping cart below the video, ordered over 5000 yuan worth of dog food and supplies, and had them sent to the stray dog base.
However, upon checking her purchase records, Ms. Fang found discrepancies where despite ordering a substantial amount of dog food, the package weight in the logistics record was less than 1000 grams. She went to the delivery address – a courier station – where she discovered that an empty package had been sent.
Subsequently, Ms. Fang reported this to the police. Following an investigation, it was revealed that this online account was linked to a gang who posed as animal rescuers to carry out scams. The actual mastermind, Li, had rented a yard in a village in the latter half of 2022 where he and his associates acquired disabled and elderly dogs at low prices to use as props to create the “Little Stray Animal Home” for video shoots.
In order to create a more “impactful” scene, the gang intentionally starved and deprived the animals of food to make them appear sickly and emaciated. Li even arranged for his accomplices to harm the dogs to showcase their plight during live broadcasts, deceiving netizens into trusting and supporting them.
The online hosts tearfully encouraged viewers to click on the links below the video to order products, with the promised dog food and supplies being sent from so-called partner stores to the “rescue center”, hoping that kind-hearted netizens would donate through purchases.
The criminal gang reportedly used online platforms from 2022 to 2024 to spread false information about rescuing stray cats and dogs to scam over 1500 loving individuals out of more than 2.5 million yuan. Only a little over 3000 yuan of the ill-gotten funds were actually spent on the animals, with the majority being squandered by Li and his cohorts. The main perpetrator, Li, was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison by the Shangshui County Court in Zhoukou City, Henan, and fined 200,000 yuan. The other 6 gang members received sentences ranging from 9 years and 6 months to 2 years and 4 months with 3 years’ probation.
In response to the incident, current affairs commentator Yue Shan stated that CCTV’s timing of exposing the stray animal scam – involving animal abuse, deception for money – is quite “coincidental” as it coincides with the outrage over the Jieyang dog cruelty incident, which has sparked widespread anger online and calls for legislation against animal abuse. The authorities refuse to respond to public opinion, suppress dissent, and even suggest that foreign forces are involved, portraying a clear attempt at maintaining stability. By releasing this information now, CCTV is essentially diverting attention and international pressure.
Yue Shan pointed out that under the CCP’s rule, moral decline has led to individuals committing wrongful acts and using charity for scams, which is attributed to the government’s inadequate supervision. The authorities should have dealt with such scams in a timely manner rather than suddenly bringing up a case to shift focus, hinting at sinister motives behind these actions.
On the afternoon of June 28, in Pingpu Village, Xinheng Town, Jiedong District, Jieyang City, Guangdong Province, four boys under the age of 14 brutally beat and burned alive a homeless mother dog named “Wang Wang” and her three puppies with sticks and gasoline on the street. The boys cruelly joked and laughed while committing the violence and even exclaimed “smells good” as they set the mother dog on fire. After uploading the video of the animal abuse online, it drew widespread social attention and condemnation.
On June 30, the Xinheng Town government issued a notice stating that the four boys involved, under the age of 14, were sent to a specialized school for corrective education and urged netizens to stop spreading the incident under the pretext of “rejecting online bullying”. The official handling of the situation faced criticism from netizens who questioned whether the authorities were shielding the perpetrators. The incident once again prompted discussions on the lack of a nationwide animal protection law in mainland China.
Numerous international organizations have called on the CCP authorities to enact relevant legislation, including the International Organization for Animal Protection (OIPA), who wrote to the CCP authorities requesting information on the psychological and behavioral assessments, educational measures, and long-term monitoring of Chinese minors. People from both sides of the Taiwan Strait and overseas have shown support through means such as screen advertisements and petitions.
However, the CCP authorities not only failed to respond to public opinion but also continued to clamp down on actions by supporters. Major platforms swiftly engaged in measures such as deleting posts, limiting traffic, and blocking accounts. BBC cited a respondent in China who stated that dozens of people in her group had received calls from the police or warnings against “instigation or organization”. Some authorities even contacted the families of certain individuals.
“Everyone is reminding each other to voice their opinions sensibly and not to gather offline,” she said. “As for politics, I don’t think too much about it. I just hope our country and the place I live in will become better.”