Beijing, September 19: A court in Shanghai has mandated a dog owner to pay 90,000 yuan (US$12,600) in damages after their pet caused a pregnant woman to miscarry. The 41-year-old woman, who had undergone multiple IVF treatments, was walking through her community to collect a package when the incident occurred earlier this year.
The pregnant woman, identified as Yan, was on her way to collect a package from the courier station in her residential community; a golden retriever suddenly bolted out of a nearby building and charged towards her. Startled, Yan instinctively stepped back, resulting in an injury to her back and sharp pain in her waist and lower abdomen. The incident prompted a call to the police, who arrived to address the dispute between Yan and the dog’s owner. China Horror: Woman Finds Human Tooth in Meat-Filled Mooncake Purchased From Sam’s Club Outlet in Changzhou, Probe Launched After Video Goes Viral.
Yan visited the hospital after the incident and was kept overnight. The following morning, doctors were unable to detect a fetal heartbeat. Heartbroken, Yan explained that after the dog startled her, she immediately felt pain in her abdomen, but despite medical efforts, the baby could not be saved. China: ‘Order King’ Delivery Man Dies While Sleeping on Bike After 18-Hour Shift in Hangzhou.
Following the incident, Yan sued Li, and the court ordered him to pay 90,000 yuan for the physical and emotional harm caused. Li admitted his golden retriever was off-leash but argued the dog, an assistance animal for the visually impaired, posed no threat. He also suggested Yan should have been more cautious, given her IVF pregnancy.
The court ruled that it was reasonable for Yan, who was over 15 weeks pregnant, to walk near her home. It concluded that her miscarriage was a direct result of being startled by Li's dog, which should have been on a leash. As a result, Yan's claim for compensation was upheld. The case attracted widespread attention, amassing 110 million views on Weibo and sparking a heated online discussion about the importance of keeping dogs leashed in public spaces.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 19, 2024 06:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).