'I just witnessed a murder': Actress condemns influencer after dog dies during his livestream when he allegedly tied its mouth shut

Pan Hong, a Chinese influencer with 16.6 million followers who is known as “Pan Hong Loves Playing with Dogs” online, faced a backlash after an incident during a live-stream led to the death of an Alaskan malamute called Aite while he was bathing it.

Hong runs a dog training facility and also offers free services to help owners correct the behaviour of their pets. Aite was one of the most beloved dogs under Pan’s care, and was affectionately referred to as a “star dog” in his training centre.

During the live-stream on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, on January 19, however, viewers noticed that Aite resisted going in the bath and Pan then used zip ties to shut the dog’s mouth, according to a local publication. The pooch then reportedly struggled for air and Pan hit it, after which it became motionless.

Viewers are said to have expressed their concerns during the live-streaming session, but Pan allegedly ignored their warnings and continued to bath the pooch, before ending the video.

The public outrage that followed caused Hong to issue an apology, where he said that Aite’s death was due to old age and pre-existing heart problems and claimed that the zip tie was necessary to prevent the dog from biting people.

“The blame is on me, so if you want to criticise, direct it at me. To all of Aite’s fans and its original owner, I sincerely apologise. Aite’s life has come to an end, and I will personally handle all follow-up matters privately,” the apology read.

The incident led to Joe Chen Chiao, a beloved Taiwan actress known for her love of animals, to express her disgust at the actions of Pan on her own social media on January 20.

“I just witnessed a murder,” she said. “A life was lost in the name of gaining online traffic. The shock and anger have left me heartbroken all night. I hope those who abuse animals will die in a way a thousand times worse than the animals they hurt. Rest in peace, little dog.”

The star is known for her roles in TV series like Fated to Love You and The Prince Who Turns into a Frog. Her statement gained praise from fans. One person said: “Nowadays, idols need to be more than just beautiful and kind-hearted, they also need to speak up for the voiceless. Joe Chen is truly a warm-hearted queen!”

There have also been calls for Hong to be banned from social media.