The local government killed more than 34, 000 stray dogs(流浪狗) several months ago because they were afraid that the dogs would spread rabies (狂犬病).
This caused a discussion across the country. Some people said that it was very cruel to kill dogs. There might be a better way to avoid the disease.
In the future, killing stray dogs might be seen as a crime. The Chinese government published a draft(草案) of animal rights law. It says that a person who kills a stray dog without good reasons will be put in prison(监狱). The draft also says that people who treat animals badly will be considered crimes under the criminal law.
The government published the draft so that the public could read it and discuss their thoughts. People share different opinions. Some think the law is good. They say other countries like Britain and Japan have similar laws. They say we will do better at protecting animals if there is one. But others say it's not necessary to fight animal abuse with a new law.
Some people also say that the draft doesn't deal with the biggest matters facing the country's development. The country should make progress to give all people equal (平等的) rights, they say, before turning attention to animals. Another part of the draft is causing discussion. It says that people should not force animals into do something dangerous, like jumping through a ring of fire. But many people enjoy watching this kind of performance at the circus, especially kids. They say that if the animal does it properly, it will not get hurt.
