A meow broke the morning tranquility as a stray cat with mottled fur nimbly darted through the flowerbeds of a residential community. This scene, common in urban life, also hinted at a controversy surrounding stray animal management. In a Shenzhen community, the property management's actions to capture stray cats sparked a heated debate among residents, once again bringing the issue to the forefront of public attention.
In recent years, with the acceleration of urbanization, the number of stray animals has been increasing, leading to increasingly prominent safety and hygiene problems. World Health Organization data shows that approximately 55,000 people die from rabies globally each year, with over 95% of these deaths transmitted by dogs. Stray animals may carry pathogens, scratch passersby, and disrupt environmental hygiene; these are all real problems that city managers must confront.
The simplistic and brutal approach of simply "catching them" is not a long-term solution. We need to seek scientific, humane, and sustainable solutions. In this "cat-catching incident" in a Shenzhen community, the property management company certainly has a responsibility to ensure residents' safety and living environment, but the measures taken should be reasonable and legal, and fully consider the interests of all parties.
Article 75 of the Property Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that owners have ownership rights to their exclusive parts of a building, such as residential units and commercial spaces, and co-ownership rights to common areas such as rooftops and roads. The public areas of a residential community belong to all owners. Therefore, property management companies should adhere to the principle of democratic consultation and solicit the opinions of owners before carrying out any management actions, rather than acting arbitrarily.
The emergence of stray animals is due to both social factors and the irresponsible behavior of some pet owners. A survey by the College of Veterinary Medicine of China Agricultural University shows that the number of pet cats and dogs in China exceeded 100 million in 2020, but the pet registration rate was less than 5%. A large number of pets are unregistered and unvaccinated, and once abandoned or lost, they become stray animals, exacerbating the pressure on social management.
Therefore, solving the stray animal problem requires addressing the root causes, advocating for responsible pet ownership, and the government should improve relevant laws and regulations, increase penalties for abandonment and abuse of animals, establish and improve pet registration and immunization systems, strengthen public education and awareness campaigns, and guide the public to develop a sense of responsibility, thereby reducing the number of stray animals at the source.
More importantly, the government, social organizations, and individuals should work together to build a multi-party collaborative stray animal management system. The government can increase funding for stray animal shelters and rescue institutions, improve shelter conditions, and increase shelter and adoption rates. Social organizations can carry out stray animal adoption activities, promote the concept of "adopt, don't shop," and find warm homes for stray animals.
Individuals can also start by refraining from feeding stray animals indiscriminately to prevent their overpopulation, and actively participating in volunteer services to contribute to stray animal rescue efforts.
The issue of stray animals is a matter of urban civilization and social responsibility, requiring a more rational and humane approach. We believe that through the joint efforts of all parties, we can find a path to harmonious coexistence, making cities warmer and ensuring that life is respected.
On this path, we need to abandon a black-and-white mindset. We must recognize the potential problems caused by stray animals, but also understand their helplessness and despair. Only by combining scientific management with humanistic care can we truly achieve harmonious coexistence between humans and animals, and between cities and nature.
