This is the moment a callous thief threw a lasso around a dog's neck and dragged it at speed into his gang's van.
Shocking CCTV footage captures the thug snatch the pet in broad daylight and speed away.
The dog's desperate owner runs after the vehicle but is unable to stop it getting away.
The raid happened on November 8 at around 8.45am in Guangzhou, south China and is thought to be one of a spate of violent thefts carried out by the same gang.
Police say the yobs have snatched up to 30 dogs in rural areas recently and sold the pets to dog meat traders.
The tradition of eating dogs in China dates back thousands of years. The country has believed eating the animals has numerous health benefits.
The gang in this case has since been arrested and most of the 30 dogs have been saved. Police are now trying to find the pet owners.
Around four million cats and 10 million dogs are believed to be slaughtered every year in China.
However, in April Taiwan became the first Asian country to crack down on the practice. It introduced a new Animal Protection Act to see anyone selling, eating or buying cats and dogs for consumption fined up to the equivalent of £6,500.
No further Asian countries have yet followed suit.