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The Foundation of Registration and the Path to Shared Governance: A Systematic Framework for Urban Dog Ownership Management Policies

Author(s)

Lingyun Wu

Affiliation(s)

College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China

Abstract

With the continuous advancement of China's urbanization process, the number of pet dogs has shown rapid growth, and the coexistence of humans and dogs has become increasingly common. However, issues such as public safety risks, frequent neighborhood disputes, environmental hygiene hazards, and the dilemma of stray dog management have become increasingly prominent, emerging as significant variables affecting the effectiveness of grassroots social governance. The current dog ownership management system suffers from structural shortcomings, including an incomplete legal framework, fragmented enforcement mechanisms, lack of supporting facilities, and insufficient public participation, making it difficult to achieve long-term governance goals. This paper adopts a modern social governance perspective, integrating policy analysis and comparative research methods to systematically examine dog ownership management practices in representative domestic and international cities. It distills a five-pronged policy optimization framework: registration and identification, population control, spatial governance, education and guidance, and enforcement oversight. Research indicates that only by strengthening legal safeguards, reinforcing primary responsibilities, promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration, and enhancing governance precision can a scientifically sound, equitable, and accessible urban dog ownership management system be established. The study further proposes institutionalizing animal welfare principles within public policy, advocating a humane governance model centered on TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return/Adoption), and fostering a new framework for civilized dog ownership characterized by government leadership, social collaboration, and resident autonomy. This approach will advance the development of urban civilization based on harmonious coexistence between humans and animals.

Keywords

Dog Ownership Management; Social Governance; Animal Welfare; Policy Optimization; Civilized Dog Ownership

References

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