The increasing number of Tibetan Mastiffs, a kind of fierce domestic dog, in the wild is threatening the lives of wild animals like snow leopards in Sanjiangyuan, west China's Qinghai Province.

The fading favor for the dogs in recent years has led to the abandonment of Tibetan Mastiffs, a good share of which is raised for sale in Qinghai, a report by sohu.com has noted.

Best known for their giant size and loyalty to their owners, Tibetan Mastiffs have been kept in almost every shepherd household in Sanjiangyuan, China’s largest natural reserve, to protect sheep from wolves.

About 10 years ago, a fever for owning a Tibetan Mastiff started to spread across China, especially among wealthy families in cities. At the peak of the trend, lots of buyers from east China came to Sanjiangyuan to find a pet, and a good Mastiff could be sold for as high as millions of yuan. As demand increased, many in Sanjiangyuan started to breed the dog.

However, the price for Tibetan Mastiffs started to plummet after 2010 and lots of dogs were abandoned, as the cost of feeding the giant dog is very high.

The abandoned Tibetan Mastiffs not only grab food from other wild animals, they also attack livestock and even people on the road. Environmental experts have also warned that the dog could bring fatal infectious diseases to other animals.

According to the report, about 5,000 stray Tibetan Mastiffs have been captured and cared for in five animal shelters in Yushu, an autonomous prefecture in Sanjiangyuan. However, authorities say more measures still need to be taken as the abandoned Tibetan Mastiffs are still growing in number.

(Adapted from an article published by CRI)