(ECNS) -- Zhuhai in South China's Gunagdong province is the latest city to set a limit of one dog per family, Southern Metropolis Daily reported Wednesday.
Approved by the city's Standing Committee of the People's Congress, the policy will come into effect on June 1.
The new pet ownership rule states that dog owners "must have full capacity for civil conduct, have permanent residence, and live by themselves."
Liu Zhimin, deputy police chief of Zhuhai, said that if tenants share a house with the original owners then only one dog is allowed to be registered at the address.
The policy may also affect housing sales, according to the newspaper.
If a house has already used up its "one family one dog" quota then another pet dog would not be allowed to be registered there, even if the house was to change hands. Both the seller and purchaser would have to consider this before reaching a deal.
It is estimated that more than 70,000 dogs are registered in Zhuhai, with the pet population as well as related problems having increased in recent years.
