BEIJING: The courier giant ZTO Express was recently put under fire after one of its business outlets in Chengdu, Sichuan province, was found to have transported puppies and kittens as part of the controversial pet blind box sales on e-commerce sites.
In a statement late on Tuesday, ZTO apologized for collecting live animals from e-retailers for shipment, which it said breached rules.
The New York listed firm said it has shut the outlet in question for rectification.
A worker overseeing safety affairs in the province has also been suspended from work with the year’s performance-based salary deducted, it added.
“The healthy development of courier companies is reliant on the strict application of industrial standards and safety management, as well as a proper value toward life,” the statement said.
The pet blind box has been trending on multiple e-commerce platforms, including Taobao and Pinduoduo.
It allows users to buy pets of unknown breeds and appearances for about 10 yuan ($1.50) or even lower.
Many such purchases involve a dayslong cross-provincial shipping process and has led to animals suffocating or dying of dehydration.
The hashtag “pet blind box” got more than 380 million views and about 100,000 comments on microblogging service Weibo by Wednesday.
Many users accused the business of cruelty and called for harsh punishments for all parties involved.
“Both the sellers and buyers are bad to the core,” a Weibo user named Muxiyan Crystal commented.
China Central Television, the State broadcaster, weighed in on Monday, calling the business a “departure from humanity”.
“Relevant rules have forbidden the sending of live animals via postal services, and courier companies shall not violate the rules knowingly,” it said on its Weibo account.
– The Daily Mail-China Daily News exchange item
