The Shanghai municipal legislature has begun the discussion of a draft regulation to mandate rabies vaccinations for dogs, as the city braces itself for the opening of the Expo in May.

The cost for the rabies vaccination, at around 20 yuan ($2.93) per dose, is to be paid by dog owners, according to the draft regulation. The vaccination must be administered every year.

According to this draft regulation, a small silicon chip will be implanted into those dogs who receive the vaccine for the first time to track the effect of the drug.

In 2009, Shanghai reported more than 140,000 dog attacks, in which one person was killed. Reported cases of violent dogs increased by 18.99 percent compared to 2008.