(HK) Massive fines in prospect for pet cruelty criminals

[Guest guest]

Hong Kong Standard

By Nickkita Lau 2008-02-14

 

Massive fines in prospect for pet cruelty criminals

 

 

The government plans to crack down hard on the illegal trading of animals by

increasing the maximum financial penalty for the offense 50-fold from

HK$2,000 to HK$100,000.

 

Fines for breaching licensing conditions will also soar from HK$1,000 to

HK$50,000 under proposed amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Ordinance.

 

Officials said many animal traders ignored the statutory licensing

requirement by claiming they are only private individuals selling their pets

or offspring from them.

 

These unlicensed traders may also be selling sick and unhealthy animals, and

the government plans to ban the selling of animals or birds with infectious

diseases.

 

It will also seek to empower magistrates to prohibit a person convicted of

offenses related to abuse from keeping animals for a specified period of

time.

 

To tackle animal smuggling, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation

Department will this month deploy dogs on screening duty at border control

points and the port.

 

Animal rights advocates welcomed the amendments, calling them a good start

but not enough to stop cruelty to animals by traders and breeders.

 

They said the best way to do this is to regulate the provision of animals to

pet shops - a licensing condition that the government hopes to implement by

the middle of the year.

 

Activist Vicky Chu Po-shan said the amendments were a sign the government

has listened to campaigners' demands to improve animal welfare, but she

doubts stiffer fines can lead to an end to the cruel treatment of animals by

unlicensed breeders.

 

``The law only bans the selling of animals to the public in unlicensed pet

shops,'' said Chu. ``Many pet shops are legal licensed traders, but they get

their pets from unknown sources. We think customers should have the right to

know where their pets come from.''

 

Chu said animals often suffer cruel treatment by unlicensed breeders.

 

The Legislative Council will discuss the amendments on Tuesday.