I smiled, knowing that this dog had quite a capricious temper but was not vicious like some animals. In 2007, the China Daily newspaper reported that dogs and cats attacked 90,000 people around the country. Most of these animals were strays. A little more than 3,000 people died from rabies that year. Between 2004 and 2006, rabies claimed 8,403 lives, accounting for 30.1 percent of the total deaths from infectious diseases during the same period. Because of this, I gave Sweetie a wide berth-I certainly didn't want to go to the hospital for a bite, rabid or otherwise.

"Are your dogs registered?" I asked the two old people.

"Of course!" they chorused. I knew that dog owners register their pets at the local police bureau just as I had to register myself. But pet owners must pay 1,000 yuan ($150). They get a discount for dogs that are spayed or neutered. The police bureau is supposed to monitor them, and the owners must apply for an annual permit (shenfenzheng). This includes a checkup and rabies shot, and can be renewed for 500 yuan ($75), usually in June.

"We had them vaccinated, and they have passports as proof," said Mr. Chen. "If we don't comply, the police could come at any time and take them away from us. I would not be able to bear life without my Dinky." I knew that he meant this, because he was now alone after his son had immigrated with his family to Canada.

"There's your kitty," said Mrs. Wang, turning her eyes to my little calico cat that approached me at her normal leisurely pace, meowing plaintively. "She's really attached to you," my neighbor remarked.

"Yes, and I'm devoted to her as well," I agreed. "Without any family here, I would feel very lonely without my cat. She's my companion. A friend gave her to me when she left China, because the costs of transporting pets across the ocean is too high."

"It's getting more expensive as oil prices go up," said Mr. Chen. "But if I go to Canada, I'm going to ask my rich son to buy a ticket for Dinky."