Not all dogs can be cop dogs.

A police training academy in northeastern Liaoning province is looking for permanent homes for over 50 canines that failed the exam to join the official canine team, where they would work as sniffer dogs to detect drugs and bombs, among other contraband. The animals are scheduled to be auctioned online, allowing prospective bidders to adopt a new pet as long as they pledge a lifetime of commitment and care toward the animals.

The 54 dogs, most of them German Shepherds, that did not qualify to work with the police team will be auctioned on July 7, according to an announcement made by the Criminal Investigation Police University of China in Shenyang on Tuesday. The animals were deemed unfit for the force for not meeting the police’s stringent size, strength, personality, or age requirements for canine members, or due to poor performance during the selection process.

According to the auction’s rules, the starting bid for each dog is 200 yuan ($30) but participants must first watch a video about their favored animal before being able to bid. They are also required to take them home the same day and sign a written commitment stating that they will follow the local regulations and will not resell the dogs or transfer ownership.

“(The owner must) treat the adopted dog kindly and feed and manage it properly until its natural death, and assume full responsibility if they fail to fulfill this promise,” the announcement reads.

Though the police academy has initiated similar auction and adoption campaigns previously, Tuesday’s announcement has attracted a flurry of interest online. On its website, details of the animals have been downloaded over 60,000 times, while the webpage has attracted over 150,000 views as of Friday afternoon.

Many people on the microblogging platform Weibo have shown interest in adopting a new member of their family. Others, meanwhile, have jokingly compared the elimination of the dogs to their own plight and the concept of “involution” — a trending phrase summarizing the negative effects that stem from societal pressure to be the best.

“Involution is everywhere, and even these dogs are having a difficult life – those who fail the exam will be sold,” one Weibo user wrote.

Following the attention that the Shenyang police academy’s post drew online, Jiangning Popo, a police officer with an influential social media presence, reminded people to follow local guidelines on raising these breeds. While some cities do not allow people to keep large-sized dogs, others require them to be microchipped for “civilized dog-raising.”

“In short, don't be hot-headed. Think carefully before you bid,” Jiangning Popo told his 5.8 million followers.

Editor: Bibek Bhandari.

(Header image: A dog receives adaptation training in Wuhan, Hubei province, Jan. 1, 2020. People Visual)