Urgent call for legislation as 100 cats abandoned by private breeding farms

Animal welfare groups have urged the government to expedite legislative regulation of private cat breeders, as around 100 cats have been abandoned by individual breeding farms after closure.

The abandoned cats, including breeds like British Shorthairs, Maine Coons, Scottish Folds, Siamese, Abyssinians, and Devon Rexes, were mainly found at refuse collection points and on the streets of Tuen Mun and Sai Kung until December. 

Each cat is valued at thousands of dollars, with some fetching over HK$10,000 on the market. They have been taken by animal welfare organizations, while others have been handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department (AFCD).

It is understood that those in good health have been arranged for adoption or have already been adopted, and the old and sick cats are still undergoing treatment.

One of the organizations, House of Joy and Mercy, said it has rescued around 60 cats since July last year.

Kent Luk Ka-jeep, founder of Paws Guardian Rescue Shelter, said he recently learned three more cat breeding farms might close down in the coming weeks.

He expressed concern that more than 100 cats could have been abandoned as each breeding farm can house up to 40 cats. He noted that cats raised in breeding farms are often weak and vulnerable, and their abandonment could lead to further suffering.

Meanwhile, the animal protection community has proposed extending existing regulations on the sale and breeding of dogs to include cats, as well as accelerating the implementation of a duty of care system.

The AFCD stated that it received reports of 285 abandoned cats over the past two years. It added that it will monitor the effectiveness of the current regulatory system for dog breeding and consider whether to extend such regulations to cats.

The department emphasized that under the Rabies Ordinance, members of the public who abandon cats without reasonable justification could face a maximum fine of HK$10,000 and six months' imprisonment.

Furthermore, welfare groups noted that the frequent abandonment of cats reflects distorted values among the public. They stressed that the lives of animals should not be judged by their breed and urged the public to avoid making impulsive purchases.