Shanghai police rescued a precious duck from the pot after finding it next to three pressure cookers believed to have sealed its fate.
The bird’s owner, surnamed Liu, paid 5,000 yuan ($725) for the calling duck – a domesticated breed imported from Europe – two years ago as a gift for her six-year-old son .
Despite the fact that the breed has gained popularity as a pet in China in recent years, many people still consider it eminently edible.
On the afternoon of April 14, Liu and her son discovered that their pet duck, kept in the garden of her store, was missing.
![The thief stole the pet duck, worth US$725, from the garden of its owner’s shop. Photo: Weibo](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2023/05/05/bc9945ed-4cc4-429f-b599-9932b10901f2_b5371f7e.jpg)
Upon learning of her disappearance, Liu’s son could not help but cry with worry over her likely fate, the Xinmin Evening News reported.
After police checked footage from local surveillance cameras, they found the man who stole the duck at his home, 10 km from Liu’s store.
The very lucky duck was discovered in a basket next to three pressure cookers.
According to the thief, surnamed Wang, he was making a delivery near Liu’s store earlier in the afternoon when he spotted the large white duck in the garden.
![Shanghai police officers found the family’s beloved pet in the nick of time, sitting next to three pressure cookers. Photo: Weibo](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2023/05/05/cd6a8bf0-524e-4a99-944c-9790f1b48eb9_640a33be.jpg)
Unable to resist the temptation, he grabbed it and ran away with the intention of cooking it for dinner. Wang said he didn’t expect police to find him so soon.
Liu, surprised and delighted, was holding the duck in her arms when she found it at the police station.
Wang was placed in administrative detention for theft.
On social media in mainland China, people were relieved by the rescue, with some expressing shock at “how gluttonous the man was to steal and eat other people’s pets.”
![The duck’s delighted owner is reunited with her beloved pet at the police station. Photo: Weibo](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2023/05/05/0a48e1f0-f296-410e-a41a-80ba5f89484a_1315d853.jpg)
Others said it reminded them of a similar story three years ago, which didn’t end as well.
In 2020, a famous Chinese actress, Wang Luodan, told her 43 million Weibo followers that her colleague’s pet duck, Jiji, had been stolen near her home.
The actress also posted a screenshot of a surveillance video, which showed a middle-aged woman walking away with a big smile on her face while grabbing Jiji by the wings.
Wang asked for help finding the woman and promised to exchange Jiji for “10 Peking ducks of the same size.”
Unfortunately, later that day the woman was found but Jiji was gone.
“Not coveting, harming or eating other people’s pets is the basic level of respect a person can show to society,” Wang said in his message.
Meanwhile, on Zhihu, the Chinese equivalent of Quora, one person commented: “This has nothing to do with race. Even if it is a cheap meat duck, you can’t steal it.