Famous chinese dog Chutou stolen and sold to restaurant, sparking outrage online

A famous Chinese dog with more than 1.5 million followers on Douyin has sparked widespread outrage after reportedly being stolen, sold to a dog meat trader and later killed at a restaurant.

The dog, an eight year old Border Collie named Chutou, belonged to a Chinese travel influencer identified as Guo. Chutou had become popular online after appearing in travel videos with his owner and was known by many followers for his intelligence and close bond with Guo.

According to Chinese media reports, the incident happened in May while Guo was away on a trip. Chutou was staying with Guo’s family in Henan province when he suddenly disappeared from the family property. Surveillance footage later showed two people taking the dog away on an electric bike.

Guo and his family launched a search and reported the case to police. They eventually traced the suspects to a nearby village. One of the people involved reportedly claimed that they thought Chutou was a stray dog, even though the dog was said to have been wearing a collar and a GPS tracker.

The dog was allegedly sold for about 180 yuan, around US$25 to US$26, to a dog trader. He was then reportedly resold to a restaurant, where he was killed and eaten before the owner could recover him.

The case has caused anger across Chinese social media, especially because Chutou was not an ordinary unknown animal but a widely followed internet dog. Many users criticized the weak legal protection for pets and questioned how a dog with an owner, collar and tracker could be taken and sold so easily.

Guo has reportedly refused to accept a private settlement and is seeking legal action. However, the case also highlights a legal difficulty in China, where pets are often treated mainly as property under the law. This means the case may be handled as theft, with compensation depending on the estimated value of the dog.