Every respectable pet professional recommends crate training. Dogs are not human children, they do not behave like them and do not need the same care and resources them. At the end of the day if you don't crate train a dog, that's your choice. But crate training is far from cruel and provides dogs with a happy space of their own where they feel safe, secure, and in control.
If your dog hates their crate, the owner fucked up and used it as a punishment. Not crate training your dog is cruelty and irresponsible.
What does someone do when pet sitting your dog? Or when it's sick and needs to be contained? Or when it's at the vet for an extended period of time? Or if it escapes and is captured by animal control?
If you don't prepare a dog to be comfortable in its own space then it's going to freak the FUCK out which isn't fare for the dog.
One good thing to come of this (hopefully) is the chance to clear the C Suite people from AKB. I hope all of the AKB employees get what they deserve, which is a new set of higher ups that aren't sexist dickbags.
What's with the article from the South China post?
I can't find any other sources.