Tragic End for Chutou: China's Beloved Travel-Influencer Border Collie Kidnapped by Pet Thieves and Sold to Dog Meat Restaurant
A travel influencer's celebrity Border Collie, Chutou, was stolen from private land in Henan, China, and sold to a restaurant for USD 27 to be slaughtered and eaten. The incident has caused widespread online outrage and reignited fierce public debates over animal welfare and China's lack of national companion animal protection laws.
The theft and subsequent slaughter of a prominent social media celebrity dog in China's Henan province has triggered widespread public outrage across China, highlighting major gaps in the country's legal framework regarding companion animals. The animal, an eight-year-old Border Collie named "Chutou", had amassed over 1.5 million followers on mainland social media platforms before disappearing in May 2026.
After cutting short an international trip to track down his pet, the dog's owner discovered that Chutou had been stolen, sold to a dog meat restaurant for 180 yuan (USD 27), and subsequently processed for consumption. Viral Video From China: Seven Stolen Pet Dogs Form a Pack To Escape Chinese Dog Meat Trade.
China's Celebrity Dog Chutou Kidnapped and Sold to Dog Meat Restaurant
NEW: Border Collie in China with 1.5 million followers stolen, sold for $27 to a restaurant, and then eaten.
The dog's owner, a Chinese travel blogger named 'Guo,' documents his travels with his dog.
While he was away on an overseas trip, the dog disappeared while in the care… pic.twitter.com/Itlb9Q9x9T
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 4, 2026
The Disappearance of 'Chutou' and Tragic Discovery
The pet belonged to Guo, a travel influencer known for documenting his overland journeys across China alongside Chutou. While Guo was on a solo road trip in the country of Georgia, the dog was left under the care of his parents. On May 11, Guo's father noticed Chutou was missing from the family's farmland. Surveillance footage later revealed two unidentified individuals taking the dog away on an electric bicycle. Guo returned to China immediately to conduct a search. On May 26, he located the individual accused of taking the animal and offered a reward of 10,000 yuan (USD 1,500) for Chutou's safe return.
The suspect claimed he believed the Border Collie was a stray animal that simply followed him after being called. Guo rejected this defense, noting that Chutou was wearing a visible collar and a tracking device while resting on private agricultural land. The suspect ultimately disclosed that the dog had already been sold to a local restaurant and consumed. According to reports, the accused individual and his relatives refused to apologise to the family. The suspect reportedly told Guo, "The dog is dead, so stop making a fuss. I did not break the law". Hoping to recover remains or a portion of the dog's coat, Guo later confronted the restaurant worker who butchered Chutou. The worker replied, "The hair was thrown in the rubbish long ago".
Legal Obstacles and Property Classification
Devastated by the loss, Guo initiated formal proceedings with local police, submitting documentation of Chutou's financial and market value to secure criminal charges. However, mainland legal experts point out that pursuing criminal penalties for pet theft in China faces structural hurdles. Du Wei, a lawyer with the Sichuan Weixu Law Firm, clarified to mainland media that theft can only be prosecuted under criminal law if the stolen item's appraised value exceeds a statutory threshold of 2,000 yuan. If authorities formally value Chutou above this limit - noting Guo originally bought him as a puppy for over 2,000 yuan in 2018 - the suspect could face a criminal theft charge carrying a maximum sentence of three years in prison.
Legal analysts note that while civil compensation can be sought for direct property damage, proving the commercial or emotional value of a pet influencer remains exceptionally difficult under current jurisprudence. China currently lacks a comprehensive nationwide companion animal protection law, meaning pets are legally classified as personal property. Is Viral Video of Dog Named Barton Pulling Kindergarten Girl’s Handmade Cart in China Real or Fake? Here’s a Fact Check of Widely-Circulated Clip.
Public Backlash and the Dog Meat Trade
The incident has reignited intense digital debates regarding animal welfare and the regulation of canine meat consumption in China. On platforms like Douyin, viewers expressed profound grief over Chutou's fate. One commentator wrote, “I cried while watching Chutou’s old videos. Such a bright, living soul ended so tragically. Those who stole, killed and ate him must pay.” While China does not enforce a uniform nationwide ban on the consumption of dog meat, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs officially excluded dogs from the country's national livestock catalogue in 2020, reclassifying them as companion animals.
Metropolitan hubs such as Shenzhen and Zhuhai have implemented explicit local bans on eating dogs and cats. However, regional variations persist, and canine meat continues to be treated as a traditional culinary ingredient in several provinces. The most prominent flashpoint remains the annual dog meat festival held around June 21 in Yulin, located in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Although local authorities have introduced heavier market supervision, hygiene inspections, and prohibitions on open street slaughter in recent years, animal protection groups maintain that systemic legislative reform is required to deter pet theft driven by the unregulated trade.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2026 04:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
