A dog store in Liyuan Dog Market in Beijing's Tongzhou District is empty. (Photo/Beijing Youth Daily)
(ECNS) -- The largest dog market in northern China, located in Beijing, has been ordered to close in accordance with city planning.
Liyuan Dog Market, located near Rixin Road in Beijing's Tongzhou District, developed from a small pet market last century to become the biggest trading center for all kinds of dogs, as a result of word of mouth.
A man surnamed Zhang, who has been running a dog shop there for more than 10 years, said traders used to transport dogs to the market in the early morning, quickly reaching deals with shop owners who then sold them to customers.
Zhang, who is in his fifties, said the market was so good at that time that famous breeds could be sold for tens of thousands of yuan with hardly any bargaining.
Some dog traders, who have already withdrawn from the market, now peddle puppies from vehicles, ready to relocate at any time.
At its peak, the market was home to hundreds of dog shops, and some vendors sold dogs from simple makeshift stalls. Farmers in nearby villages flocked to work in the business too, helping to turn the place into the largest venue in northern China to trade dogs, especially larger breeds.
Some dog shops remain in the market because of historical reasons, but the site has been officially shut down with plans for it to be redeveloped, said an official.
Officials in Tongzhou also said the dog market has been closed because low-end animal breeding and plantation industries don't fit Tongzhou's new role as the "subsidiary municipal center" of Beijing.
Another reason is that the market is close to the new Universal Studios theme park, which is under construction, and the image of dog trading is thought to be in conflict with a theme park.
