Nowadays cosmetic surgery is becoming more and more common and it is unsurprising that this has brought with it a rise in compensation claims from botched work. However I was very surprised to read about the Chinese man who is allegedly suing an animal hospital as a result of the death of his dog whilst the dog was undergoing a facelift! Yes, that was not a typo – he had paid for his dog to have a facelift. The trophy dog was reportedly thought to have died on the operating table after suffering heart failure possibly linked to anaesthetic.
The operation cost around £140 but he is suing for approximately £90,000 which is thought to be the cost of the dog. Why on earth was the dog having cosmetic surgery? That was certainly my first thought. The dog is a Tibetan Mastiff which has become a much sought-after status symbol in China. In 2011 it was reported that a Chinese coal baron paid over £945,000 for a Tibetan Mastiff.
These dogs are famed for their intelligence but also notorious for their ferocity. A millionaire dog breeder told China’s official news agency last year “If you are rich, you can easily buy a big house or a Lamborghini. But owning a pure-bred mastiff is quite another thing, It’s solid evidence of your wealth, power and taste, and makes a most presentable gift for your clients and partners”. Mr Yu, the owner of the dog, told Chinese media that the reason for the cosmetic surgery was to make the dog more attractive to other dog-owners looking for a breeding partner.
Sadly the dog will no longer be able to breed with anyone. I doubt this is a trend that will catch on across the rest of the world.