A beloved dog, famous on social media, was reportedly served at a Chinese restaurant after being stolen from a farm and killed.
Guo, a prominent Chinese travel influencer, and his eight-year-old Border Collie, Chutou, had garnered a significant following of over 1.5 million on Douyin, China’s equivalent of TikTok.
Chutou had been Guo’s loyal companion on numerous adventures across China, from snowy mountain camping trips to desert explorations, often standing guard outside his tent at night.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, Guo had recently left Chutou with his parents while he embarked on a solo road trip to Georgia.
The dog disappeared on May 11, with surveillance footage allegedly capturing two individuals taking him away on an electric bike, the report added.
Upon returning to China, Guo tracked down the individual accused of kidnapping Chutou and reportedly offered 10,000 yuan (approximately £1,100) for the dog’s safe return.
The man said he mistook Chutou for a stray, SCMP claimed, but Guo refused the explanation – highlighting that the dog had been wearing a collar and GPS tracker.
Guo was later told that Chutou had been sold to a restaurant serving dog meat for 180 yuan (£20), and that his loving pet had been eaten, according to the outlet.
Guo, a travel influencer from Henan province, regularly documented his travels with Chutou after buying him in 2018 from a street vendor as a puppy
The canine accompanied his owner for years on journeys across China, from camping trips on snowy mountains to deserts, often guarding him outside his tent at night
Chutou purportedly went missing on May 11 and was later sold to a restaurant as dog meat, according to South China Morning Post (SCMP)
‘The dog is dead, so stop making a fuss. I did not break the law,’ the man who allegedly sold the dog said, according to SCMP.
Guo apparently confronted the restaurant worker who slaughtered Chutou, hoping to recover his remains or fur.
‘The hair was thrown in the rubbish long ago,’ the butcher allegedly replied.
Guo first bought Chutou in 2018 from a street vendor, paying over 2,000 yuan (£221) when the puppy was just three months old.
The dog became known for his intelligence, energy and gentle temperament across videos he appeared in on social media.
A devastated Guo purportedly reported the incident to the police and submitted evidence of Chutou’s market value, hoping the case would lead to criminal charges.
Police in Ningling County in Henan province have opened an investigation, according to the outlet HK01.
The case sparked widespread outrage online, renewing debate over China’s dog meat trade.
One social media user 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.’
Guo and Chutou amassed more than 1.5 million followers on Chinese social media
The dog became known for his intelligence, energy and gentle temperament across videos he appeared in on social media
A devastated Guo purportedly reported the incident to the police and submitted evidence of Chutou’s market value, hoping the case would lead to criminal charges
While some Chinese cities have banned the consumption of dogs and cats, the country has no comprehensive national companion-animal protection law, meaning pets are generally treated as property.
Approximately 10 million dogs and four million cats are killed each year in China for human consumption, according to Humane World for Animals.
A 2017 survey revealed that even in Yulin, home of the notorious dog meat festival, 72 per cent of people don’t regularly eat dog meat despite efforts by dog meat traders to promote it.
A nationwide survey conducted in 2016 found that 64 per cent of Chinese citizens wanted to see an end to the Yulin festival and more than half think the dog meat trade should be completely banned.
The majority of those polled, 69.5 per cent, have never eaten dog meat.
