Dogs may be human beings` best friends, but they have to be trained and their numbers controlled. Jinan, capital of Shandong province, alone has more than 100,000 stray dogs. The rising number of unlicensed dogs, especially stray ones, is not only a health and environmental hazard, but also a threat to people, says an article in Qilu Evening News. Excerpts:

Nothing is trivial when it comes to public interest. To control the number of unregistered and stray dogs in Jinan, police are encouraging dog owners to register and apply for a license. Though such crackdowns have some short-term effects and police have promised to set up a routine inspection mechanism, it seems that campaigns dependent on government departments alone cannot eliminate "dog trouble".

Dog owners have to pay to guarantee good pet management. The existing registration and license fee to own a pet dog in Jinan is about 400 yuan.

Keeping dogs is an issue concerning livelihood and social management both. Pet owners, as some people say, need self-discipline. But self-discipline is far from being the most important factor for pets and their owners.

The truth is neither law not government is omnipotent. So citizens have to fulfill their part of the responsibility as they continue to enjoy their right to keep dogs.