The Consumer Council revealed that pets purchased online tend to exhibit a higher rate of poor health than those purchased from physical shops and urged citizens to be wary of petfishing scams and fraudulent behaviour.
In collaboration with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the Council has conducted a survey regarding issues of online pet purchases and associated scams between January to February.
Among the 112 questionnaires collected from registered veterinarians, almost half of every 10 online-bought cats and dogs suffered from illnesses or were in poor condition, a significantly higher proportion than those purchased in physical shops.
Taking for instance the eight most common diseases among dogs, including upper respiratory infection, diarrhoea, and canine parvovirus, online-purchased dogs recorded a 52 percent to 86 percent prevalence rate, significantly higher than the 29 percent to 78 percent of store-bought dogs.
Similarly, the prevalence of eight common diseases in cats were compared.
Except for upper respiratory infection, the prevalence rate of other diseases such as cat flu and skin infections for online-purchased cats ranged from 56 percent to 89 percent, while the rate for cats bought from pet shops ranged from 31 percent to 78 percent.
Additionally, over 90 percent of online-purchased pets lacked vaccination records during their veterinary visits.
Posing as customers, the Council contacted 13 online sellers on social media, five of whom claimed their dogs came from breeding farms in mainland China, with prices ranging from 5,000 yuan to HK$46,000.
Among the three sellers who claimed to be local licensed breeders, only one agreed to provide a copy of the "Dog Breeder's Declaration" upon delivery, while the remaining 10 sellers could not provide any legal documentation regarding the sources of the pets.
To combat illegal pet sales and animal smuggling, the Council urged authorities to strengthen enforcement efforts and advised consumers to exercise caution when purchasing pets online.
While recommending that the public choose reputable licensed pet sellers to ensure the legitimacy of the pets' sources, the Council also encouraged citizens to consider adoption as an alternative.
