Overview
- The dog Chutou, a Border Collie with more than 1.5 million followers, disappeared from the owner's farmland and surveillance footage reportedly showed two people taking the animal on May 11.
- The owner, travel influencer Guo, tracked down a suspect and offered 10,000 yuan for the dog's return but was told Chutou had been sold for about 180 yuan to a dealer, resold to a restaurant, and slaughtered.
- When Guo visited the restaurant seeking remains, a worker reportedly said the dog's fur had been thrown away and those involved offered no apology.
- Local authorities in Ningling County have opened an administrative investigation and Guo has filed a police complaint and said he will pursue legal action.
- Legal experts and reporters note major evidentiary and legal hurdles — the dog's GPS was reportedly out of charge, physical remains are unavailable, and China treats pets as property with criminal theft typically requiring a value threshold near 2,000 yuan — which has driven strong public outrage and renewed calls for clearer animal-protection law.