Dogs will be prohibited in urban public places and illegally raised dogs will be confiscated or hunted in Jiangmen city from August 26, according to the city government of South China's Guangdong province.

The notice, jointly issued by five bureaus of the city clearly, defines Jiangmen urban areas (including Pengjiang District, Jianghai District and Xinhui District) as restricted areas where all kinds of dogs, including pet dogs, are banned.

"We hope that all citizens will cooperate with us in creating a civilized Jiangmen and send their dogs to outskirts or rural areas," said an official from the municipal committee of political science and law.

The notice has raised great concerns among citizens. "It's unfair to kill all dogs without allowing people to get their dog a license. Their doing this shows no respect of life," a citizen said. Others are calling for a more reasonable regulation on dog-raising.