China to standardise dogs

A committee to standardize the raising of companion animals has proposed pet dog standards. Dogs would be categorized as working, sporting, herding, toy, etc. by a series of tests to determine whether they are suitable as pets. China does not have any unified national standards on family dogs. People usually choose a pet by its size. "New standards are more scientific and meet actual demands of family dog owners," said Wei Haitao, secretary general of the committee. Other proposals include signs in public areas to ease tensions between pet owners and others. The proposals will be submitted to the Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China this year for review.