In Beijing, government controls on population have extended from the bedroom to the kennel, as China formulates a one-dog only policy. Under the new guidelines introduced on Thursday, parents will be limited to providing one canine friend for their single child as China confronts a rabies scare.

In certain areas, larger canines such as Doberman and Labradors will be outlawed.

Dogs will also be kept out of public areas such as parks.

Xinhua news agency reports dog control officials will be destroying surplus pets in nine areas: "Only one pet dog is allowed per household in the zones, and dangerous and large dogs will be banned. Anyone keeping an unlicensed dog will face prosecution."

The massive curtailing of pets comes about as the country faces one of the worst outbreaks of rabies that has hit the country: In fact, the ministry of health says the disease is more prevalent than tuberculosis, and AIDS in terms of fatalities and second only to the common cold.

During the first nine months of 2006, China recorded 2,254 rabies cases, almost all fatal, up 30% from 2005.