Beijing's dog fetish

China's canine love affair is on the increase, whether it is legal or illegal

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- The raising of pets was considered a bourgeois crime only 25 years ago during China's Cultural Revolution, but now it is a legal, if not costly, popular pastime.

Growing prosperity and the need for companionship, in the wake of China's one child policy, is prompting many to keep dogs as pets.

Yet Beijing remains one of the world's most strict and expensive places for dog owners.

With restrictions and expensive permits keeping official numbers down, dogs are being kept in the dark -- literally.

In a bizarre spectacle, Beijing's pooches are patrolled in the dark to avoid detection -- it's the only time they can walk the capital's streets care-free for air and exercise.

Even if owners do have a permit they can still only walk their pets from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m.

CNN NewsPass VIDEO CNN's Jaime Florcruz tells how dogs are pariahs in China, where dog-loving owners can only walk them after dark. Many dogs die of starvation and abuse. Play video

And for the privilege they must also pay a one-off fee of more than $600, and then $300 every year after that.

Rich owners pamper their dogs with regular grooming and other creature comforts, but many others can't even afford the registration fee.

"That's beyond my reach, it's almost half of my annual income," says dog owner Mrs. Guo.

Forced underground

"Dudu" owned by Mrs. Guo is one of over 200,000 unlicensed pet dogs in Beijing, forced underground, and her owner is paranoid.

"I have to walk my dog in quiet places where police don't usually go. I have to be careful," Mrs. Guo tells CNN.

China's love affair with pets also extends to cats many of which are sold at illegal street markets

Police regularly round-up unlicensed animals into dog pounds, one exists outside of Beijing, where dogs often die of starvation and abuse.

And some of the capital's dog owners who have seen it have expressed shock.

"I simply don't know how to describe the scene over there. It was so cruel. The painful memory has been with me ever since," says Mrs. Guo.

Activists like Xu Huai of the Capital Animal Welfare Association are lobbying city authorities to pass animal protection laws and to loosen restrictions on dog ownership.

"Animals live miserably in China. People here think they can treat animals however way they want, including harming them," says Xu Huai.

Yet the sale of pets illegally is likely to continue unabated and unchecked.

Beijing has many illegal street markets and with poverty facing many unemployed urban dwellers, street markets are becoming increasingly important for those who have anything to sell, including pets.