Chinese Dogs

I'm a pretty firm believer in the saying that you can tell a lot about a society based on how they treat their animals.  Photographing domesticated animals also provides an interesting setting through which we can learn more about the people that live there too.  Historically domestic animals like dogs and cats congregate near human civilizations and so, including bits of the culture into the viewfinder along with the animal is not a large task.

The Chinese view pets very differently from people in the U.S.  They are either jammed by the dozens into small crates, kennels, and boxes to be sold along the sides of dirty streets or they are free to roam and reproduce as they please.  Despite these living situations, they appear to be pretty contented flea infested creatures.  And here are the Chinese dogs... and the one place in all of the Chinese provinces they're aloud to do their business :p

This is a family's kitchen and their new puppy.

The income these gentlemen rely on to feed themselves and families comes solely from caring for these samoyeds.  These dogs belong to a very wealthy individual who lives on Victoria Peak and places much importance in the care of her prize winning pure bred Siberian hounds.

... and for the cat lovers of the world.