[Second Update: I guess I take comments more personally than I should! This was an act committed by a single person and does not represent all of China, nor all Chinese people's views on how to treat animals, any more than any act of violence committed anywhere represents an entire nation. It has gained attention and public outcry in China--that's why it was posted on a video sharing website.]
Today's front page feature on Youku, a streaming video site, shows a Lanzhou Wenzhou University security guard beating a dog to death as watchers film from above. After the dog is dead they shout out to him: Why did you kill the dog? It was posted 18 hours ago, has been viewed 345,000 times, and has garnered over 4700 comments, which are growing quickly. [First update: there is a long discussion in the comments about why the people watching didn't try to stop the killing. It's quite clear that they were filming from a window several stories up and couldn't have reached the guard in time to stop him. They did, however, yell at him to stop while he was doing it.] Excerpted comments below.
The caption posted with the video reads: Please treasure every life. There are a lot of different opinions to be found, however, regarding the incident:
What a poser. Why didn't you go back and get it and cook it up? Now that the weather's getting cold you could have had dog meat!
Schools aren't really supposed to have dogs anyway. If it was a rabid dog or a stray dog and it bit someone, who would take responsibility? If it showed up somewhere it wasn't supposed to be, why not beat it?
If you can't see the difference between dog meat and pork, it just shows your level of civilization. You're acting like everyone eats dog, but I think there a lot of people who don't eat dog. And even if they did eat dog before, after they see this video clip and hear the sound of the poor dog, they won't even want to think about eating dog again. This is progress, get it?
Complain to the school leadership and they'll definitely get rid of him. That kind of person could do practically anything. Aren't you guys scared?
It wasn't right to kill the dog. People who don't do something about this kind of thing when they run into it are not good people. At least a lot of people would say that. So those who saw this happening at that school are all not good people. I find them despicable.
Dogs are protected by the law in other countries. Even though they're not legally protected in China, they should be under moral protection!
How is this guard keeping the peace? It looks to me like he's causing a disturbance. If a guard can get to this point, it's probably better that he go back home and raise crops.
**By the way, for North American viewers who read Chinese and are ever looking for streaming video, Youku loads more quickly than other
streaming video sites. (via Ethan Jeffery-Liu)
i have to clarify that it was happened in WenZhou University instead of LanZhou University
Posted by: vv | December 07, 2007 at 11:56 PM
is this going to be a new game in the 2008 Olympics?
Posted by: not chinese | December 08, 2007 at 12:16 AM
Seeing this makes me so angry I'm afraid I'd like to beat the s(*& out of that bastard guard.
Posted by: jay | December 08, 2007 at 07:17 AM
I can not believe nobody turned that guy in or tried to stop him from what he was doing!! What type of people are you!! I have never been prejudice againt anyone in my whole life, but after seeing what the Chinese do to all animals, I have to say I am pretty damn close!! For the guy that did the deed, BURN IN HELL!! for the ones that didn't try to stop him or at the very least turn him in...you will get yours, what happens if you are the next one he is beating the crap out of? Wouldn't you want someone to step in? Think about that next time you see someone mistreating an innocent animal and not doing anything to stop it!!
Posted by: c isbell | December 08, 2007 at 12:52 PM
What a shame for China being in the spotlight again for abusing animals in such a sick way. In any civilisez country, that guard should be prosecuted for animal abuse and...WHY DID ANY OF THE STUDENTS TRY TO STOP HIM! YOU ARE ALL GUILTY!
Posted by: Núria Querol Viñas | December 09, 2007 at 01:49 AM
you should have shame! for all the evil that you make with the animals in your country, you act like of true monster all that made you is to put the world against you bus, do not forget we are not all of the massacer of animals like you!! you do not deserve our respect, I hope that you all go burn in hell one day for all the evil which you subject to these animals which by misfortune its born in your which cursed country!! I, hopes that one day you undergo the same fates which you make with these animals and I hope that at this time there nobody will come you help because you deserve to only die and in the extreme suffering!! because you all are of the bastard ones!!! worse species than God A creates!!
Posted by: Linda Lachapelle | December 09, 2007 at 08:39 AM
How could anyone watch this happening and not go immediately to stop this torturous abuse, and treat this so called "guard" to the same abuse. Again, this supposed "guard" should be treated the same way, and worse. The most unconscionable behaviour in addition to the other atrocities committed against animals in China. This makes one beyond anger, and why is it that none of people taking this video did not go and stop this cruelty. He must be reported and fired from his post. He is in no way guarding any of you
Posted by: Brenda Schaeffer | December 09, 2007 at 10:27 AM
China is a rich country now ! Why does it still acts like barbarians with animals ?
Shame on you China !
Posted by: d. gdendron | December 09, 2007 at 10:28 AM
Please see my updated in the main post above. The people who were filming could not have reached the guard in time to stop him. The reason they put the video online was to attract attention to the incident and publicly shame the guard.
Posted by: Lyn | December 09, 2007 at 10:33 AM
Arrêtez toutes ces cruautés gratuites !!!!! Tout cela est monstrueux !!!!
Posted by: ANNOVAZZI | December 09, 2007 at 12:33 PM
Vous êtes des monstres !!!!
un pays de monstres !!!
Posted by: Mariie-Rose HECKMANN | December 09, 2007 at 03:11 PM
People treating animals like this should be tortured to death themselves. There's definitely no animal protection in China due to a rotten attitude concerning other living beings.
Thanks to the responsibles who gave the Olympic Games to China, you've done a great job!!
Posted by: Thomas Wachter | December 09, 2007 at 03:36 PM
I have to say I'm really surprised by the kinds of posts that are appearing here. This was an act committed by a single person, not a representative of the entire country. Go o nto Youtube and you can find lots of similar things. The difference in China is that it is front page news and gathers lots of attention and debate--which is a good thing, in my opinion.
Posted by: Lyn | December 09, 2007 at 05:10 PM
Fuck I hate Chinese more than ever after seeing this and others like it such as: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_ca00XMzcxMTUyMA==.html
Posted by: qq | December 09, 2007 at 07:48 PM
Si vous voulez que l'on apprécie la Chine, luttez contre la violence contre les animaux et interdisez ces vidéos! cela ne vous fait pas apprécier, je n'irai certainement pas
aux jeux de 2008, je suis écoeurée!!!!
Posted by: pley nicole | December 10, 2007 at 02:29 AM
If this dog was hit by a car it should be brought to an animalhospital, this monster don´t kill children either if they are hit by a car, it is cowardly to do so to a sentiënt beïng just because it isn´t human. What a sad policy for such a large country.
Posted by: Le Petit Chien | December 10, 2007 at 05:28 AM
A coward will always be a COWARD.
Posted by: Peter | December 10, 2007 at 07:50 AM
shame on you.... are you men or monsters??? it's disgusting what you do with animals....
Posted by: gerardin | December 10, 2007 at 08:15 AM
When I just read or here China I get sick. Sick from the cruelty they do to animals, sick from the people who do this and sick from the people who do nothing to stop this in ther own country.
So China is just a sick country with sick people.
Posted by: Li Kyriakou | December 10, 2007 at 09:25 AM
Honte à vous! un jour il faudra bien payer tout le mal que vous faites aux bêtes. Je ne mettrais jamais les pieds en chine tant qu'il en sera ainsi.
Posted by: Bassignani | December 10, 2007 at 09:29 AM
Je ne compred pas comment un être humain peut être animé par autant de sadisme,à moins d'être un grand malade.dans ces cas la faut l'enfermer.
Posted by: Bassignani Michel | December 10, 2007 at 09:31 AM
ugly people!! shame on you!!
Posted by: mérinos | December 10, 2007 at 09:40 AM
La chine, sans majuscule, est le pays de la cruauté envers l'animal, de la destruction des espèces rares pour que assurer la continuité de sa fornication...que ces types bouffent du viagra!!! Je suis scandalisé qu'un pays barbare ait été choisi pour les jeux olympiques...Honte sur ce pays et sur ce peuple!!!
Posted by: Mahy Joël | December 10, 2007 at 10:54 AM
Shame on China and his people!!
Posted by: laetitia panetier | December 10, 2007 at 11:14 AM
Who are the real beasts !!!!
Animals are not cruel.
It's people like you who are sick, perverse.
You are serial killers!!!!
You bloody all know what it is to be abused, tortured, killed!!!
Did you forget it?
Posted by: Chantal Buslot | December 10, 2007 at 05:16 PM