Owner offers huge reward for return of lost pet, claiming the animal is ex-military and ‘made contributions to the nation’. Missing canine found within 24 hours at which point master offers fraction of initial amount, prompting angry calls for legal action. — SCMP
A dog owner in China who promised a reward of 10mil yuan (RM6.34mil) to whoever found his lost pet has ignited controversy on social media after he went back on his word, offering only a few thousand yuan instead.
The owner, surnamed Yang, posted a notice on July 9 stating that his eight-year-old pet, “Tianlang”, which he said was a retired military dog, went missing the night before near the Beilong Lake area of Zhengzhou, capital of the central province of Henan.
To encourage others to help, Yang made a substantial reward pledge.
“A reward of two million yuan will be given for providing important clues. If the dog is found and returned safely, a reward of 10 million yuan will be offered,” he said.
Yang said that in addition to being a close family member, Tianlang had “made contributions to the nation” and warned that if anyone hurt the dog, “we will invest everything to seek justice.”
The reward offer attracted considerable attention in Zhengzhou.
According to Jinan Daily News Group, a widely circulated post in a local WeChat group said many people had headed to Beilong Lake to look for the animal.
At 3.40pm on July 9, a group member claimed the dog had been found, which was later confirmed by the Zhengzhou Stray Animal Adoption Centre on Weibo.
However, despite the dog being found less than a day after it went missing, the owner failed to keep his promise.
According to Henan Broadcasting System, a source with knowledge about the situation revealed the dog owner only offered a reward of 5,000 yuan (RM3,173) to the person who found it.
“The dog owner used the 10 million yuan as a stunt, but whether it was two million or 10 million, it was an impossible claim,” the source said.
It is unknown whether Yang’s claims about the dog’s military service are true.
As a result of the incident Yang has been placed under a 15-day administrative detention by the police.
A hashtag about the reward gained 300 million views on Weibo, with many social media observers expressing outrage about the situation.
“Trust between people has been totally destroyed!” one commenter said.
“Doesn’t this type of reward notice have legal effect? Go and sue him!” said another.
“This is just a joke,” a third countered, adding: “Even if a lawsuit is filed, the court won’t support a reward of 10 million!”
Zhang Yongquan, a partner at Grandall Law Firm in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin and a former prosecutor, told the Post that the owner’s behaviour constituted a breach of contract, but it would be difficult to enforce the agreement in practice.
“Although the fulfilment of the contract can be demanded, the owner can also argue for an adjustment on the basis of apparent unfairness in the contract.
“According to common sense and core values, it is impossible for a dog to have such a high value. The court may very likely accept this defence,” Zhang said.
“After all, pricing a dog at tens of millions of yuan in China would have a very negative social impact. Therefore, the case is likely to end with the citizen accepting 5,000 yuan and not pursuing further legal action,” the lawyer added. – South China Morning Post
