Famous Border Collie stolen from farm in China and sold for $38 to restaurant

An internet-famous Border Collie with more than 1.5 million followers who travelled across China has allegedly been stolen, sold to a dog meat restaurant and eaten, sparking outrage online.

Chutou, an eight-year-old dog from Henan province, disappeared from his owner’s family farm in May while travel influencer Guo was overseas on a solo trip through Georgia.

The dog had become one of the country’s best-known pet influencers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, where millions followed videos of Chutou accompanying Guo on road trips across the country’s deserts, mountains and remote regions all the way to Tibet.

CCTV footage allegedly showed Chutou resting peacefully in farmland owned by Guo’s family before two men approached on an electric scooter and carried the dog away under a cover.

Guo immediately cut short his overseas trip and flew back to China to search for his dog, documenting every step on chinese social media platforms and his YouTube mirror account.

On May 26, he tracked down a man accused of stealing the dog and allegedly offered 10,000 yuan (about A$2100) for Chutou’s return.

The man allegedly claimed he mistook Chutou for a stray dog.

Guo rejected the explanation, saying the Border Collie had been wearing both a collar and tracking device while on the family property.

He was then told Chutou had already been sold to a restaurant specialising in dog meat dishes for 180 yuan (A$38), slaughtered the same day and served to customers.

According to local reports, Guo later confronted a butcher linked to the restaurant, hoping to recover some remains of his beloved travel companion.

“The fur was thrown in the rubbish long ago,” the butcher allegedly told him.

The alleged thief reportedly later said: “The dog is dead, so stop making a fuss. I did not break the law.”

The case has triggered widespread anger online, with Chinese social media users flooding Guo’s pages with tributes and many saying they cried while rewatching years of travel videos featuring Chutou, while others demanded stronger animal protection laws.

“One bright, living soul ended so tragically,” one user wrote online after watching old videos on Guo’s account.

In one emotional YouTube video posted after the dog’s death, Guo described Chutou as the companion who gave him the strength to begin travelling China in a van he bought for just 4600 yuan (about A$970) in 2019.

“He gave me the courage to set off,” Guo said.

“And in his eyes, I was his courage.”

The influencer described Chutou’s first road trip as mirroring his own emotions.

“Just like me, he was full of curiosity about this world.”

The influencer described sleeping in freezing temperatures in Tibet with Chutou beside him during years spent travelling the country together.

He said he and the dog survived difficult conditions together while living cheaply on the road.

“Life is hard. Eat noodles every day. But we encourage each other.”

In one emotional video, Guo said travelling alone after Chutou’s death felt unbearable because every memory reminded him of the dog.

“Eight years working together felt like a dream,” he said.

“Time collapses. Memories flash by. I can’t breathe.

“I understand now ... I can’t stop crying.”

Guo said he blames himself for leaving Chutou behind while travelling overseas.

China has no nationwide companion animal protection law and pets are largely treated as property under the legal system.

Lawyers told the South China Morning Post the alleged theft may only qualify for criminal prosecution if Chutou’s value can be proven to exceed 2000 yuan, the threshold for theft offences in Henan province.

Guo reportedly purchased the Border Collie from a street vendor in 2018 for just over 2000 yuan when the dog was a puppy.

He tried to prove Chutou’s value to police by pointing to the dog’s online fame and commercial worth as a social media star.

In a statement shared online, Guo said he would not accept “any form of settlement” and vowed to pursue the case “to the end” through legal channels.

“At present, the relevant authorities are taking this incident very seriously,” he wrote.

“If there are any further developments in the case, I will inform everyone as soon as possible.”

The case erupted online ahead of the controversial Yulin dog meat festival, an annual event held around June 21 in southern China long criticised by animal welfare activists over the slaughter and sale of dogs for consumption.

While the country removed dogs from its official livestock catalogue in 2020, there is still no nationwide ban on consuming dog meat.

Cities including Shenzhen and Zhuhai have prohibited the consumption of dogs and cats, but the practice remains legal in parts of the country and continues to draw fierce criticism from animal welfare advocates.