College Students' Cat Abuse:
No Prohibition by Law Doesn't
Mean Freedom
Recently, netizens revealed that Fan Yuanqing, a senior student of Shandong University of Technology, abused stray cats. While the cats were still alive, they were tortured in cruel ways, such as being skinned, burned and electric shocked. He also took videos of cat abuse and sold them on the Internet. Once the incident was exposed, the public was outraged.
近日，網友爆料山東理工大學大四學生範源慶虐待流浪貓。在貓還存活的情況下，用剝皮、火燒、電擊等殘忍的方式虐待，並拍攝視頻通過網絡進行宣傳販賣。該事一經揭發，網友們的怒火便被點燃。
Search results for cat abuse videos on China’s consumer to consumer shopping site 「Xianyu」
Source / Xianyu
The behavior of Fan, a senior student, is not alone. Since 2006, various videos of cat and dog abuse have been released frequently. Video of animal abuse has become price-tagged commodities. Video viewers』 twisted way of entertainment gave birth to a deformed industry chain.
大四學生範某的行為不是個例。從2006年開始，各種虐貓虐狗的視頻被頻頻爆出。虐待動物的視頻成為一種明碼標價的商品。其觀看者的獵奇心更是催生了一個畸形的黑色產業鏈。
According to an in-depth interview with The Time Weekly reporter Ye Wan, there is a division of labor within some relatively mature groups in this industry chain: some specially adopt or hunt cats and dogs from various sources, some are responsible for producing and implementing scripts on how to abuse them, some are specialized in selling abusive videos, "the hottest videos can be sold abroad."
據《時代周報》記者葉萬深入採訪得知，在這條黑色產業鏈中，一些相對成熟的團體內部有著明確的分工：有人專門從各個渠道領養或獵捕貓狗，有人負責製作和實施虐待它們的劇本，更有人專門從事虐待視頻的推銷販賣，「最厲害的能賣到國外去。」
Several reasons for the formation of cat abuse industry chain are low investment, low risk and high income.The group members do not need to spend too much money in animal abuse, but their video sales can earn a lot. Meanwhile, penalties to their anti-cruelty laws is extremely low.
虐貓產業鏈形成的主要原因是低投入，低風險，高收入。首先虐待流浪動物不需要花太多的錢，其次視頻銷售也可以得到不菲的收入。但這種不尊重小生命的不道德行為受到的法律懲處卻是極低的。
The inefficient legal constraints are due to the lack of clear definition of animal abuse in existing laws. To what extent is it 「abusive」 to hurt animals? Is it 「abusive」 to let animals perform difficult acrobatics? Is sterilizing animals 「abusive」? Should owners of abandoned animals be punished by law? 「Abuse」 is undefined, and legislation was made difficult.
法律懲處低是因為現有法律關於虐待動物沒有明確的立法。傷害動物到什麼程度屬於虐待？讓動物表演高難度雜技屬於虐待嗎？給動物絕育屬於虐待嗎？拋棄動物的主人應該受到法律的制裁嗎？關於虐待的定義模糊不清，使立法面臨難題。
A China biodiversity conservation foundation member comments cat abuse.
Source / Nanfang Metropolis Daily
Under the current law system, the behavior of Fan does not constitute a criminal offence. For animal protection, there is only the "Wildlife Protection Law" in Chinese mainland. Obviously, the law was established only for wildlife not including stray cats and dogs. People like Fan are taking advantage of legislation loopholes.
目前的法律框架內，大學生虐貓行為還不構成刑事犯罪。針對動物保護，中國內地目前只有《野生動物保護法》。顯而易見，該項法律的設立只針對野生動物而不包括流浪貓狗。因為法律暫時存在的漏洞，讓範某這樣的人有機可乘。
Cat abusers posted videos on different social platforms and get a high attention.
Source / Bilibili, Xianyu and Weibo
The idea that 「One can do anything that are not prohibited by law」 is wrong.In fact, in September 2019, deputies to the National People's Congress proposed the enactment of a law prohibiting animal cruelty, and the Ministry of Agriculture also responded that 「it is necessary to improve the legislation」. However, due to the impact of the epidemic, the enactment was suspended.
法無禁止即可為的想法是錯誤的。事實上，在2019年9月人大代表就已經建議制定禁止虐待動物法，農業部也給予回應：確有必要完善立法。因為疫情的影響該部法律的制定暫緩。
Fortunately, society has begun to recognize animal cruelty and is calling for stronger penalties against abusers and more powerful enforcement capabilities. As a result, people like Fan will hoist with their own petard.
幸運的是，社會已經開始關注到虐待動物的行為，並呼籲對虐待者實施更嚴厲的懲罰，嚴格執法。因此，像範源慶這樣的虐貓者終究會自食惡果。
CNR published a Weibo on September 25, 2019: the representative of the people's Congress proposed to enact a law against animal abuse.
Source / Weibo
By | He Yiyang
Type Setting | Xing Fengyi
Profreader | Zhou Ting & Tang Xiaonan
News Media Director | Xing Fengyi
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