(CN-HKG) Hong Kong - No Kill City?

[Guest guest]

South China Morning Post

Saturday, February 25, 2006

 

Push to make deserting pets a crime

PATSY MOY

An animal welfare alliance has called on the government to make

abandoning pets a crime.

 

" Under the existing law, people are prosecuted only after animal

cruelty has happened, but we want to include abandonment, " said

Steven Calpin, a spokesman for the alliance, the No Kill City Forum.

 

Mr Calpin, who is also executive director of the Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, suggested setting up a subcommittee

in the legislature to strengthen animal welfare and protection.

 

No Kill City Forum was set up in 1998. Its members include

legislator Choy So-yuk and major animal welfare organisations,

including the SPCA, Society for the Abandoned Animals, Lamma Animal

Welfare Centre, Concern Group for Pets, and Asian Animal Protection

Network.

 

Ms Choy said she planned to present a private bill to amend the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance to broaden the legal

meaning of cruelty and to increase penalties, currently a maximum

fine of $5,000 and six months' jail.

 

" Judges have been too lenient to offenders found guilty of animal

cruelty, " she said.

 

The alliance expressed its views yesterday at a meeting with

officials from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation

Department, but they said they were disappointed with the reluctance

of Secretary for Health Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok to take

action to improve animal welfare.

 

Last night the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said it would consider

the alliance's proposal.

 

" We have taken note of the proposed measures by the No Kill City

Forum and will consider them as far as practicable, " a spokesman said.

 

" The administration is reviewing the relevant legislations and will

report the outcome at the meeting of the Legco panel on food safety

and environmental hygiene on March 14. "

 

Should abandoning an animal be an offence? Send your comments to

Talkback!.

http://focus.scmp.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?

pagename=SCMP%2FTalkbackForm & Type=LET