Over 100 animals in 'blind boxes' abandoned in Shanghai

Over 100 cats and dogs packaged in ‘blind boxes’ were abandoned roadside in Jiading district, Shanghai earlier this week. There were over 30 dogs and 70 cats in the mix, and most of them were under two months old. Some of the animals had died by the time they were found, and others were in poor health. The animals were given veterinary attention and many volunteers showed up to help. Local police ‘launched an adoption initiative immediately’ and the Global Times reports that as at 1:30am on Tuesday, 71 cats and 36 dogs had been adopted.

Source: Weibo

It is unclear who shipped the boxes, as the labels had been removed, though citizens living near the site stated it was the delivery company ZTO who had abandoned the animals. Many netizens on Chinese social media site Sina Weibo have called for new laws to be established for the protection of animals. Currently, postal regulations in China only prohibit live animals from being shipped by postal channels.

The ‘blind box’ or ‘pet mystery box’ craze sparked outrage in May this year when a courier truck containing 160 puppies and kittens was intercepted in Chengdu, and many of the animals were found dead. The courier company (ZTO Express) was fined RMB $30,000 (approx. HK $36,100) for illegally delivering live pets. State media Xinhua in May only stated that courier companies and e-commerce platforms must ‘strengthen self-examination and self-correction’ and that buyers and sellers should have ‘more goodwill and more respect for life’.

Courtesy of Andy Au

Sources: Global Times / SCMP