During the Lunar New Year, a woman boarded her dog, Yi Yi, at the Little Tail Pet Boarding Centre in Shenzhen, southern China, while holidaying in the Maldives, reported South China Morning Post.

The hunting dog escaped the centre and went missing after it was a startled by fireworks.

The boarding centre, with consent from the owner, allowed Yi Yi to play outdoor in the fenced grassy area for six to eight hours.

The owner had offered 50,000-yuan (US$6,800) reward for the missing dog.

That same day, the owner’s investigation revealed that Yi Yi had wandered onto a Shenzhen highway, was hit by a car, and left on the roadside, the newspaper reported.

Surveillance footage showed the highway patrol officers taking the dog to their company’s kitchen. They reportedly cooked and ate it there.

The dog’s owner posted on the social media as quoted by the newspaper: “Yi Yi was hit by a car while running home. I’m sorry I could not protect you. I will always remember you.”

The company's chef has admitted the act.

According to reports, the highway company and the traffic police confirmed cooking and consumption of the dog.

A representative of the highway company told the newspaper, "The two workers followed regulations by taking photos on-site and uploading them to the company’s system.”

“They assumed it was a stray dog and, since it was already dead, decided to handle it privately," the representative said.

The manager of the pet boarding centre said he was fully cooperating with the investigation process.

The incident has sparked widespread attention on mainland social media, with related reports garnering 65 million views, the newspaper reported.

Shenzhen banned the consumption of cats and dogs in 2020.