A city in southwestern China has banned dog walking during the daytime and banished the pets entirely from parks, shopping centres, sports facilities and other public spaces.

The ordinance issued by the city of Wenshan in Yunnan province on October 29 has been called the most restrictive in a nation where dog ownership has long been subject to tight regulations.

Under communist China's founder Mao Zedong, pet ownership was considered a bourgeois affection but has revived over recent decades.

Many cities, however, still maintain rules on what size dogs can live in what areas, with the capital Beijing banning large dogs from the city centre.

However, Wenshan's ban appears to go well beyond that by saying dogs can only be outside before 7:00 and after 22:00.

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