Dog owners are howling with rage in Heihe, Heilongjiang province, after the city banned dogs and ordered a canine cull in a bid to combat rabies and clean up the streets.

Under the new rule, all dogs face a death sentence - even those kept indoors. Residents who need to keep dogs because of work or special circumstances can apply for an exemption at the local police bureau and will have to have their dogs vaccinated, authorities said.

If anyone is caught with a dog in a public park, they not only stand to lose their pet but collect a fine of up to 200 yuan ($29), a city government circular issued on Wednesday stated.