A property management employee beat residents' pet dogs to death amid the COVID-19 outbreak in northern China.
The CCTV video, shot in the city of Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province on February 23 and provided by Shijiazhuang TV with permission, shows a property management worker following a woman into a residential building and trying to use a metal pole to beat the dog carried in the woman's arms. The woman was reportedly injured when she tried to protect her dog and a witness said the worker also shouted to the woman: "If you are not going to kill the dog, I am gonna beat you to death as well." The woman then called the police.
Another clip shows the worker using a stick to carry the dead dog away.
The worker wrote a notice to apologise on February 24, he said: "I deeply apologise to the residents.
Considering all residents' safety as well as some residents have reported that dogs defecated everywhere.
So we used different ways to inform residents to do not walk dogs.
"On that day, when I was on duty and received reports of someone walking dogs, I felt having too much pressure and was overwhelming.
I apologise to the residents again.
I will communicate more and accept everyone's supervising.
We will still manage strictly but the same kind of things will not happen again." WHO has declared that there is no evidence showing companion animals such as cats and dogs can contract coronavirus.