Owner of large dog granted bail over fatal Yuen Long attacks

The owner of a large dog that mauled two smaller pets to death in Yuen Long earlier on Monday has been granted HK$3,000 in cash bail after being charged with failing to properly control the animal. 

The 52-year-old defendant, surnamed Ng, appeared at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts this morning for the first hearing. He faced two counts of permitting a large dog to enter or remain in a public place under the Dangerous Dogs Regulation. 

The court heard that the owner failed to properly control his male mixed-breed dog with a leash no longer than two meters on July 10 at YOHO Mall and on August 17 at YOHO MIX. 

Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang Siu-hung approved the prosecution’s application to adjourn the case for 10 weeks until October 29. 

According to Hong Kong legislation, a magistrate may order an animal classified as a “known dangerous dog” if it attacks another animal without provocation, resulting in death or serious injury. 

Speaking on a radio program, Florence Tang Mei-kuen, a registered veterinarian and lecturer at The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s School of Biomedical Sciences, said that the dog’s Spanish Mastiff lineage alone does not automatically classify it as dangerous.

She added that as the dog attacked the smaller pets without apparent provocation, the court will assess whether it poses a risk of repeating the behavior by considering the specific circumstances of the incident and the animal’s overall temperament. 

Tang noted that any decision regarding humane destruction of the animal rests solely with the court. While acknowledging the heightened public emotions following the fatalities, she said the large dog involved is a living being, and that euthanasia is a serious matter that should be determined by objective legal evaluation rather than emotional reactions.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓