Rising tensions between owners and other members of the public have resulted in many cities harshly enforcing related legislation. Zhang Yangfei reports.

When the clock ticks close to 7 pm, Jia Yilei, from Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, puts a pink waterproof coat on her pet dog, a black Shiba Inu named Hawaii, fixes a leash on her collar and walks her out the door.

This may appear a usual routine for dog lovers, but what makes it different is that Jia is only allowed to walk Hawaii between 7 pm and 7 am. She used to bring the dog with her when she went to buy groceries, but that has not been possible since November, when a campaign to strictly enforce existing regulations started.

However, Hawaii is lucky. At least she is properly licensed, so she has the right to go outside, unlike a golden retriever named Alu.

Alu is not officially allowed out of doors because golden retrievers don't appear on the city's list of approved breeds, meaning it cannot be licensed. As a result, Fan Chen, Alu's owner, has to walk the dog secretly after 8 pm on a remote path in his neighborhood to avoid crowds.

The restrictions are being enforced in Hangzhou and several other cities as part of a canine clampdown resulting from rising tensions between dog owners and other members of the public following a number of incidents.