Authorities may raise penalties for pet abandonment and illegal feeding of stray animals to bolster deterrence following a fatal dog attack in Yuen Long, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said.
Five dogs were caught near the scene of the incident, in which a woman died after being attacked by dogs. Three of the captured dogs carried microchips, indicating they had been abandoned. Tse stressed that strengthening pet owner responsibility is a key direction for upcoming legislative amendments, with the government aiming to brief lawmakers on its proposals by the end of the year.
Tse also reported progress on the new measure allowing dogs to enter permitted restaurants. Over 990 restaurants have joined the scheme since its launch more than two months ago, which Tse hailed as highly successful. Addressing concerns over whether recent dog attack incidents would delay the launch of the second phase, Tse reassured lawmakers that dogs are accompanied by their owners in eateries and proper management would prevent issues. The government will review the first phase at year-end before considering when to open applications for the next stage.
Responding to claims that land resumptions in the Northern Metropolis development have led to an increase in stray dogs, Tse noted that the Development Bureau provides advance notice before clearing land, leaving owners and shelter operators responsible for relocating animals. He added that the bureau has granted over HK$130 million to four animal welfare organizations under a funding scheme to renovate vacant government sites into dog shelters.
