The first police dog of the Corgi breed in China, Fu Zai, has become an internet sensation due to both his accomplishments and recent workplace troubles.
This small yet determined police officer lost his annual bonus for sleeping on the job and urinating in his food bowl, which sparked both laughter and sympathy on Chinese social media.
According to Chinese media, the Corgi began his service at the Weifang Public Security Bureau in Shandong province as a reserve explosive detection dog in January 2024, when he was just four months old.
Despite his miniature size, Fu Zai quickly made a name for himself with his exceptional talent in detecting explosives, winning over both trainers and the public.
By October, Fu Zai, whose name translates to "Lucky," had become a full-fledged police dog.
Fu Zai's work was actively featured on the Douyin platform, a counterpart to TikTok, through a dedicated account of the Weifang Public Security Bureau.
The blog titled "Corgi Police Dog Fu Zai and His Companions" boasts over 384,000 followers and regularly posts updates about Fu Zai's daily training and activities with his four-legged "colleagues."
In a video published on January 19, officers praised Fu Zai for his outstanding contributions throughout 2024, which included completing several security assignments and boosting the prestige of police dogs in Weifang.
For his efforts, he was awarded a red flower, treats, and toys during the year-end evaluation.
However, the celebratory moment took a humorous turn when a police officer recounted Fu Zai's recent misstep of falling asleep on duty and urinating in his food bowl.
As a consequence, his treats and toys were confiscated, leaving only the red flower as a reward for his achievements.
"I hope you'll be more diligent in the future," the officer joked in a video that has since garnered over 10,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
Sympathy and Support for Fu Zai
Followers quickly rallied to Fu Zai's defense, with one commentator joking, "Poor Fu Zai worked hard all year, only to lose his bonus at the end. I can only sympathize."
Another wrote: "He urinated in his own bowl, not in his boss's... Give him back his bonus immediately!"
Riding the wave of sympathy online, the police reassured the public in a follow-up video released last Wednesday that Fu Zai did not leave empty-pawed.
In celebration of the Lunar New Year, the Corgi received a generous gift set that included Pacific herring, pumpkin soup, dumplings, rabbit meatballs, and even a dog-friendly version of the dish "Buddha's Temptation" or "Fotiaoqian."
On Saturday, Fu Zai was honored with the annual "Defying Fate" award in a special video.
"We hope that Fu Zai and his fellow officers can continue to thrive in good health, and we also hope that everyone will be kind to (animals), as the world belongs not only to us but also to them," one officer stated.
"And finally, we hope that Fu Zai can continue to progress," he added.