Celebrity dog with 1.5 million followers was stolen, sold as dog meat for Rs 2,500; owner seeks justice

4 min readNew DelhiJun 5, 2026 12:23 PM IST

The thief reportedly claimed that he believed Chutou was a stray and said the dog followed him after being called

A Chinese travel vlogger has been left heartbroken after his beloved Border Collie, Chutou – a social media sensation with more than 1.5 million followers – was allegedly stolen, sold to a dog meat restaurant, and eaten.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), vlogger Guo spent years travelling across China with Chutou, documenting their adventures online and building a large fan base. The dog became a familiar face to followers who had watched him grow from a puppy into a well-known internet personality.

Fengmian News reported that Guo bought Chutou from a street vendor in 2018 for more than 2,000 yuan (Rs 28,145) when the dog was just three months old.

The incident occurred while Guo was travelling alone in Georgia. During his trip, Chutou was staying with Guo’s parents in China. On May 11, Guo’s father noticed the dog had disappeared from the family’s farmland. After reviewing surveillance footage, the family allegedly saw two individuals taking Chutou away on an electric bike.

Guo immediately cut short his trip and returned home to search for his pet. On May 26, he tracked down a man suspected of taking the dog and even offered 10,000 yuan (around Rs 1.4 lakh) in exchange for Chutou’s return. The man reportedly claimed that he believed Chutou was a stray and said the dog followed him after being called. Guo disputed that account, pointing out that Chutou had been wearing a collar and a tracking device while resting on the family’s land.

The vlogger’s worst fears were later confirmed when he learned that Chutou had allegedly been sold to a dog meat restaurant for 180 yuan (Rs 2,533) and had already been slaughtered.

According to reports, the accused man did not apologise. The suspect allegedly told Guo, “The dog is dead, so stop making a fuss. I did not break the law.”

Story continues below this ad

Still searching for answers, Guo later visited the restaurant and spoke to the worker who butchered the dog, hoping to recover Chutou’s remains or at least some of his fur. “The hair was thrown in the rubbish long ago,” the worker reportedly replied.

Devastated by the loss, Guo filed a police complaint and submitted evidence of Chutou’s value in an effort to pursue criminal charges. Du Wei, a lawyer with Sichuan Weixu Law Firm, told the media that theft can only be prosecuted as a criminal offence if the value of the stolen property exceeds 2,000 yuan. If authorities determine that Chutou met that threshold, the suspect could face a theft charge carrying a sentence of up to three years in prison.

The case has also reignited debate over animal welfare protections in China. As noted by SCMP, the country does not currently have a national law specifically focused on companion animal welfare. Pets are generally treated as personal property under existing legal frameworks, meaning cases involving animals are often handled through civil compensation rather than animal protection laws.

News of Chutou’s fate sparked an outpouring of grief and anger online. “Losing a dog is already very painful for a dog lover, let alone knowing that the dog died by being cut up and its meat eaten, the pain is truly unimaginable,” one social media user wrote.

Story continues below this ad

Another commented, “Just like in Indonesia, many dogs are caught for the dog meat trade, because the existing laws are not strong enough to punish the perpetrators, so they do not act as a deterrent. Rest in peace little soul.”

A third user added, “I can’t stop thinking about how he might have been frightened, confused, and exhausted, believing that the humans he encountered would help him find his way home. Instead, those same hands took his life. May he get the justice he deserves.”