Henan, Shangqiu: Border Collie Chutou stolen, sold, and slaughtered

Summary

In May 2026, a Border Collie named Chutou disappeared near his family’s field in Xiguo Village, Liuhe Town, Ningling County, Shangqiu, Henan. Reports by Cover News, Dahe Daily, Jimu News, and other outlets said Chutou was being cared for by the parents of his owner, Mr. Guo, while Guo was traveling abroad. On the morning of May 11, Chutou was near a three-wheeled vehicle at the field, as usual, before he was taken away by two strangers riding an electric bike.

This was not a simple loss. After returning to China, Guo reviewed surveillance footage and searched for leads. On May 26, according to media reports, he found the man who had taken Chutou. The man reportedly said that on May 14 he had sold the dog to a dog dealer for 4 yuan per jin, 180 yuan in total. Guo then learned from the dealer that Chutou had already been slaughtered that same day.

A dog who had lived with people for nearly nine years was taken from familiar land and family, sold cheaply by weight, and killed. The act was cold and cruel. It was not only a property loss for the owner; it was a violation of the life of a companion animal and of the trust between humans and animals.

The Victim

Public reports describe Chutou as a blue merle Border Collie, more than eight years old. Guo told media that he bought Chutou in 2018 for more than 2,000 yuan. After becoming a travel creator, he often drove across China with Chutou, including trips to Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, and Yunnan. His account documenting one person and one dog traveling together reportedly gained more than one million followers.

Chutou was known not merely because he was an online figure, but because he appeared for years in ordinary companionship and travel. He followed his owner across long roads and also stayed with family members in the fields at home. Precisely because he was gentle and close to people, he had little defense when strangers called to him. Turning that trust into an opportunity to take him, then selling a living being by weight, is the core cruelty of this case.

What Happened

Cover News reported that on the morning of May 11, Guo’s father was working in the field while Chutou stayed near the three-wheeled vehicle. After the work was done, the dog was gone. The family reported the matter and searched the village. Guo, then abroad, cut short his trip and returned.

After coming back, Guo obtained roadside surveillance footage. Media reports said the footage showed a man and a woman on an electric bike taking Chutou onto the vehicle and hiding him under the wind shield before leaving. On May 26, Guo found the man in another village about two kilometers from home. Reports said the man claimed he thought the dog had no owner and admitted selling him.

According to Cover News and Dahe Daily, the man said he sold Chutou to a dog dealer on May 14 for 4 yuan per jin, 180 yuan total. After contacting the dealer, Guo learned that Chutou had been slaughtered that day. In media interviews, Guo said he would not settle privately and had submitted materials to police to prove Chutou’s market and commercial value.

Police Handling

After Guo reported again on May 26, media said police first opened an administrative case. On June 6, Cover News reported that Guo had received a case filing notice from Ningling County Public Security Bureau. The notice reportedly stated that the criminal facts in the “pet dog theft case” had occurred and that the case would be investigated. On June 8, Jimu News reported Guo as saying the case had been treated as a criminal case.

The public record is still based mainly on media interviews and documents provided by the interviewee. This archive records the criminal case filing as a reported fact supported by those media accounts. Whether the investigation is completed, whether the case is transferred to prosecutors, whether prosecution follows, and what responsibility is finally imposed all require later public information.

The case also shows how difficult it can be to seek accountability after a companion animal is stolen. Lawyers quoted in the reports explained that, under existing legal paths, a pet dog is often evaluated as property and the owner must prove value through purchase records, market price, or other evidence. But for the people who knew Chutou, his life was not worth 180 yuan and could not be replaced by another dog. Law may begin from property value; public memory must still record that a specific dog was taken and killed.

Public Impact

After the story became public, Chutou’s death drew wide discussion. Many people were angry not simply because he was a famous dog, but because low-cost theft, resale, and slaughter of companion animals makes every pet-keeping household feel unsafe. Today it was a Border Collie near a field; tomorrow it could be another animal waiting at a gate, outside a shop, or beside a road.

This archive preserves the facts supported by public sources: a dog who had long accompanied a human family was taken near home; media reported that he was sold by weight and slaughtered; the owner refused settlement and pursued criminal accountability; police were reported to have opened a criminal investigation. Compassion for the victim, criticism of cruelty, and continued attention to legal handling should remain together.

Timeline

• 2018: According to Guo’s interview with Cover News, he bought Chutou and raised him for years.
• From 2019: Reports say Chutou often traveled with Guo as he created travel content.
• Morning of May 11, 2026: Chutou was reportedly taken near the family field in Xiguo Village, Liuhe Town, Ningling County, Shangqiu.
• May 14, 2026: Media reports say the man who took Chutou sold him to a dog dealer for 180 yuan, and Guo later learned Chutou had been slaughtered that day.
• May 26, 2026: Guo found the man and reported again; media said police opened an administrative case.
• May 29, 2026: Cover News reported the case, including Guo’s statement that he would not settle.
• June 6, 2026: Cover News reported that Ningling police had issued a case filing notice for criminal investigation.
• June 8, 2026: Jimu News reported Guo as saying the case had become a criminal case.

Sources

• Cover News / Sichuan Online, “Internet-famous Border Collie Chutou was resold and slaughtered after going missing; owner says he will not settle and has submitted materials hoping for a criminal case,” May 29, 2026. https://sichuan.scol.com.cn/ggxw/202605/83262627.html
• Dahe Daily / Tencent News, “Internet-famous Border Collie Chutou was resold after going missing; the owner found the seller, police have opened an administrative case, lawyer says the person who stole the dog may face criminal liability,” May 28, 2026. https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20260528A0AHXK00
• Cover News / Sina Finance republication, “Latest development in the case of the million-follower Border Collie Chutou being stolen, resold, and slaughtered: police have opened a criminal case,” June 6, 2026. https://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-06-06/doc-iniankfp0629134.shtml
• Jimu News / Phoenix News, “Internet-famous Border Collie Chutou was stolen and slaughtered; police have opened a criminal case,” June 8, 2026. https://news.ifeng.com/c/8tnXxA2lgS9