Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ15: Animal Management Centres
Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and a written reply by the
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council
today (May 30):
Question:
It has been reported that a number of animal protection organisations accuse the
animal management centres (including the Hong Kong Animal Management Centre,
formerly known as the Victoria Road Government Kennels) under the Agriculture,
Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) of being unhygienic, negligent and
inhumane in treating animals, resulting in animals in the centres being
vulnerable to injuries, illnesses and even death. In this connection, will the
Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective maximum capacity of animal accommodation for various
management centres and the respective current numbers of animals accommodated
therein;
(b) of the number of organisations received, other than those visits for
adoption purposes, by various management centres for inspecting their facilities
last year;
(c) whether it will enhance the transparency of the management centres, such as
streamlining the application procedure for visits by organisations, or making
such centres open for visit by the public at any time; if it will, of the
details; if not, the reasons for that;
(d) how it ensures that frontline staff will closely follow the established
procedures so that animals in the management centres will be looked after
properly; and
(e) of the number of public complaints received by AFCD last year about the
staff of management centres not treating the animals well, details of such
complaints and the follow-up actions taken; of the number of staff being
penalised in established cases, and details of the penalties imposed?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The four Animal Management Centres (Centres) under the management of the
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) can take in about 440
dogs and 220 cats in total. AFCD also accommodates other kinds of animals by
converting existing facilities according to individual cases. As at mid-May
2007, the Centres have taken in 253 dogs, 130 cats and 244 other kinds of
animals.
(b) AFCD Centres are in fact animal quarantine and inspection centres. To reduce
the risk of spreading epidemic diseases, the Centres are not open for visits by
either groups or individuals. That said, to facilitate animal welfare agencies
arranging adoptions, AFCD still grants special permission to animal welfare
agencies with prior appointments to visit the Centres for selection of suitable
animals.
(c) Although the Centres are not open for visits by groups or individuals, AFCD
still welcome suggestions from the public on direction of the Centres' work.
Moreover, we have established an Animal Welfare Advisory Group to advise the
Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation on matters relating to
animal welfare. The Animal Welfare Advisory Group already includes members from
major animal welfare groups.
(d) AFCD staff act in accordance with internal guidelines in providing
sufficient and appropriate food and water to all animals in the Centres. The
animals are also cleaned with care every day. Each of the Centre is managed by
registered veterinary officers and senior field officers. The veterinary
officers examine the health of animals, and where necessary, give appropriate
treatment as soon as practicable. Senior field officers conduct surprise
inspections to check whether frontline staff follow procedures in taking proper
care of animals in the Centres. Most of the Centres are provided with closed
circuit television systems. AFCD is considering requiring staff at the Centres
to keep more detailed records about conditions of animals at the Centres.
(e) In 2006, AFCD received a total of six written or telephone complaints from
the public against treatment of animals by the Centre's staff. The complaints
concerned the ways AFCD staff handled captured stray cows and dogs. The
management of AFCD conducted in-depth investigation into each case. Since the
outcome of the investigations showed that the complaints were not yet
substantiated by sufficient evidence, AFCD did not discipline any staff because
of these complaints.
Ends/Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:31
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