Residents in Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, will have to obtain permission from their neighbors before they can have their dogs licensed, according to a proposal contained in the city's new dog-raising regulation.

A woman in Jinan, Shandong province, takes her dog outside for a walk. Local residents may have to get nods from their neighbors before they can obtain pet licenses if the city passes a new regulation on raising dogs. [File Photo]

If the proposal takes effect, citizens will be able to get a pet license from the city's public security bureau only after winning approvals from their neighbors and a testimonial from a local neighborhood committee.

The proposed rule drew mixed reactions from the public.

"Dogs are an important issue in neighborhood relations," said Shao Yufei, who keeps a poodle in the apartment he rents in Lixia district.

"It's difficult for a person to win approvals from all of his neighbors, since people often have different attitudes toward dogs.

"And I'll maybe remember who refused to sign my application (if I'm turned down), which might lead to conflict between my neighbors and me," Shao said.

Residents also expressed confusion over the proper application of the word "neighbors".

"I don't understand whether it refers to the person living next door or those living in the whole building or even the whole community," said Shao, who lives on the top floor of a five-story building.

He added that residents living in high-rises will find it harder to obtain approvals.

Proponents of the proposal contend that it will subject pet owners to more uniform standards, although many worry that adopting the rule will, in reality, cause little to change for the better.

A Jinan resident named Zhang Ting said she is often annoyed by her discoveries of hair shed by the dog kept by her upstairs neighbor.