It's a dog's life for our mollycoddled mutts

It was too hot for a jacket. None of the humans on the street were wearing one. Even worse, the poor, panting creature was clutched to its owner's chest, which I dare say on a chilly winter night would have been quite pleasant. At 30 C, it should be classified as a torture technique.

We exchanged glances as I walked past, and the dog, now squatting indignantly next to a trash bin as it did its business in the full public glare, seemed to say, "You see what I have to put up with?"

I was reminded of that dog last week during the general election in the United Kingdom. So many Brits dragged their mutts to vote that the pictures sparked the hashtag #dogsatpollingstations. Scanning through the photos (yes, I do have that much time on my hands), a few of the put-upon pups look like they're soldiering on through trying circumstances, but most share the dejected embarrassment of their cousin in Beijing.