BLOODY GAMBLE

A courier truck discovered in Sichuan province carrying 160 crates of cats and dogs, many already sick or dead, has created heated backlash over the deadly trend of live animal“mystery boxes.”

Mystery or “blind” boxes are a growing industry where gifts (usually toys) are sold in unmarked boxes,with the buyer not knowing which item they’ve bought until they open the container.Online animal mystery box vendors list prices as low as 9.9 RMB and use photos of expensive breeds of pets, luring potential buyers with the thrill of the gamble—and the potential of getting a coveted breed at a below-market price.

Mailing live animals violates the China Transport Act of 2005.Beijing lawyer Li Jun told tech and business website TMT Post that China should strengthen regulations and penalties for courier companies, since the government cannot check every private parcel.Netizens are also calling for e-commerce platforms to crack down on live animal vendors and for China to draft an animal protection law.