- A woman in China sought justice after her dog was poisoned in 2022
- A man was found guilty of poisoning dogs with toxic sodium fluoroacetate
- She quit her job and pursued legal action for over three years
A woman in China has come into the public spotlight after dedicating years of her life to seeking justice for her pet dog that was poisoned to death. Her story has drawn attention as she spoke openly for the first time about her struggle and sacrifices, reported the South China Morning Post.
The incident occurred in 2022, when Li Yihan's 13-year-old pet dog, Papi, a white West Highland Terrier, was poisoned to death in the children's park of their Beijing residential complex. Papi had been with them since he was only two months old.
During the investigation, police found a 65-year-old man, surnamed Zhang, who lived nearby, guilty in the case.
According to reports, he had placed chicken pieces coated in a highly toxic and odorless chemical called sodium fluoroacetate in the playground. This substance is also considered extremely dangerous to humans.
On the same day, 11 pet dogs were poisoned, nine of whom died.
Following this incident, Li Yihan made it her mission to seek justice for her pet. She quit her job, restricted her personal life, and abstained from non-essential social activities for more than three years.
Recalling the incident at a recent event, she described herself as Papi's mother and said that it was the first time she saw her dog in such pain. That's when she decided to fight for him.
Since China lacks comprehensive animal protection laws, she studied provisions such as the civil code and criminal law to pursue the case.
She filed a private criminal case and a civil lawsuit against Zhang. She also represented 10 other victims in court, as it wasn't possible to hire separate lawyers for each.
Court Verdict And Outcome
This case resulted in a significant legal victory in its first trial. In December 2025, Zhang was sentenced to four years in prison for the crime of possessing a dangerous substance.
According to the law, causing serious harm or death by poisoning carries a minimum sentence of 10 years. However, if public safety is not seriously affected, the sentence ranges from three to ten years.
According to Li, the four-year sentence was somewhat satisfying, as it is the maximum sentence for pet deaths.
The verdict took two years and two months, and Zhang was out on bail for a year during that time.
Sharing his experience, Li said that the wait for justice wasn't easy, but she was glad that this case set a precedent and expedited the resolution of other cases.
She also said that at times he felt as if he was the one being punished, especially when the accused was on bail.
During her speech, she showed her face publicly for the first time. He explained that he had faced considerable harassment over the past three years, including bullying, doxxing, and spreading rumors.
She filed a complaint with the police, after which action was taken against several people, and some were fined between 500 and 1,000 yuan.
Li said she initially concealed her identity because she didn't want her face to be spread online like other victims, while the identities of the accused remained protected. But she later decided to reveal her face to show what she believed was her right.
She concluded by saying her fight isn't over yet, and every small effort is a step toward a better future.
