And now China may reclassify dogs as pets rather than livestock, after the virus outbreak - which began in a market selling live animals - prompted the country to review its laws around the wildlife trade.

"With the progress of human civilisation... dogs have changed from traditional domestic animals to companion animals," said the country's agriculture authority in a proposed policy, according to a state media report. 

"Dogs are generally not regarded as livestock... and China should also not manage them as [that]."

The draft policy is now open to the public for consultation.