China's Supreme People's Court on Monday published examples of pets harming humans, saying that owners of banned dogs should bear full responsibility for any damage, regardless of whether the victims are at fault.

In one case, a 7-year-old child was scratched in the face when teasing a neighbor's Alaskan Malamutes in a residential compound with his grandmother in August 2019. Although the victim took the initiative to play with the dog, the court ruled that the neighbor should take full responsibility as the dog was a fierce breed banned from being kept in the city.

Such cases are expected to provide guidance for other courts dealing with similar cases to resolve contentious issues.

According to the law on animal epidemic prevention, dog owners are required to vaccinate their dogs and attach tags and leashes when taking them outside. In addition, each city also has restrictions on the breeds of dogs that can be kept.

(Cover: Animated picture showing a pet dog hurting a person. /CFP)