Man gets 28-month sentence for smuggling over 160 cats and dogs

A jobless man was jailed for 28 months on Wednesday after being caught smuggling 117 cats and 46 dogs into the city by sea last year.

The 31-year-old defendant Leung Ting-fung pleaded guilty to five charges in District Court, including cruelty to animals, importing unmanifested cargo, and endangering the safety of others at sea.

The defendant was caught using a speedboat to smuggle the pets in 17 cages, including one packed with 16 cats, on May 18 last year.

Marine officers spotted Leung's speedboat around 11.50 pm as it entered Hong Kong waters west of Sha Chau. Officers then informed boats patrolling nearby to inspect the speedboat, which swiftly took a U-turn as officers approached.

A chase began, and the speedboat finally stopped on waters northwest of Black Point in Lau Fau Shan.

The defendant claimed that an unidentified man had asked him to transport the pets for a payment of HK$5,000. The Marine Department later confirmed that the defendant had no license to operate a vessel.

The authorities noted that the animals were kept in inhumane conditions, with insufficient food or water, with the animals one on top of the other and covered in their urine and feces, along with feces accumulating in the cages.

Judge Clement Lee Hing-nin stated the condition of the animals and their cages was extremely poor, and 60 animals later died. The defendant was also sailing without a certificate of inspection late at night and evading the police, showing a reckless disregard for the lives of the animals on the vessel and the safety of others at sea.

Considering the huge number of animals involved in the case, the poor smuggling conditions, the irresponsible sailing attitude of the defendant, and also absconding from the crime, Lee concluded that a harsh sentence would have to be given and sentenced Leung to 28 months in jail.