Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ8: Handling of abandoned dogs

     Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kwong-wah and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (May 12):

 

Question:

 

Will the Government inform this Council:

 

(a)  whether members of the public have complained to the authorities about nuisances caused by stray dogs in the past year; if so, of a breakdown of such complaints by district;

 

(b)  whether it will deploy officers to areas frequented by stray dogs to catch them; and

 

(c)  how the stray dogs caught will be handled, and the number of stray dogs put down by the authorities in the past three months?

 

Reply:

 

(a)  In 2003, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) received 9,619 complaints concerning nuisances caused by stray dogs.  There were 2,264 cases from Hong Kong Island and outlying islands, 2,177 cases from Kowloon region including Sai Kung and Tseung Kwan O, 2,360 cases from New Territories South region including Shatin, Ma On Shan, Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi and Tsuen Wan, and 2,818 cases from New Territories North region.  AFCD does not routinely collate statistics of the complaint cases against stray dogs by district.

 

(b)  In response to public complaint, staff of AFCD will visit the locations concerned and catch the stray dogs found.

 

(c)  When a stray dog is caught, it will be detained for four days allowing its owner to reclaim it.  If the dog is implanted with identification microchip, AFCD will try to trace the owner so as to reunite the dog with its owner.  In this case, the dog will be detained for a longer period.  If the dog does not have an owner or is unclaimed by the owner, consideration will be given to the suitability of adoption by members of the public through animal welfare organisations.  Other dogs not suitable for rehoming will be humanely destroyed.  In 2003, a total of 11,771 dogs were humanely destroyed.

 

Ends/Wednesday, May 12, 2004

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