(HK) Pet cruelty rules fail to hit home,say lawmakers

[Guest guest]

Hong Kong Standard

 

By Timothy Chui 2008-02-20

 

 

Pet cruelty rules fail to hit home,say lawmakers

 

 

 

The government hopes to tighten licensing requirements for pet purveyors

in the territory by the summer, but lawmakers said yesterday the reform

package did not tackle the crux of the issue - animal cruelty.

 

The government's preliminary submissions, which include 50-fold

increases in fines for illegal trading in animals, were criticized for

not containing public dialogue although stakeholders and representatives

from animal rights groups were consulted.

 

``I wonder if there is enough emphasis on concerns which are of

importance to animal rights groups. I don't see any,'' said

medical-sector legislator Kwok Ka-ki, questioning why the government

failed to address the key aspect of the amendment.

 

Labor lawmaker Wong Kwok-hing said the steps taken were too timid.

 

Penalties for animal abuse will be raised to HK$200,000 and three years

in prison while maximum fines of HK$100,000 and HK$50,000 will be levied

for illegal trading and breaching animal trade licensing conditions.

 

Other licensing proposals will require traders to obtain animals from

legitimate sources while making the sale of sick animals an offense.

 

Proposals such as the suspension of pet owning rights for repeat animal

abuse offenders and the empowerment of government veterinarians to issue

orders to pet owners and keepers are expected to be passed during the

next legislative session.

 

However, Democratic Party lawmaker Albert Ho Chun-yan feared a loophole

for unlicensed breeding by ``hobby breeders'' would be used as a cover

for commercial activity.

 

``These so-called hobby breeders, since they can hide from the stringent

licensing requirements, will result in the original objectives being

missed,'' he said.

 

Suggestions by legislators that abandonment of an animal be in the

definition of cruelty were not in the government's proposals. Deputy of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Eric Tai Hing-fung

said doing so, ``would make pursuing animal abandonment cases that much

harder. Owners can just say their pet ran away.''

 

Responding to complaints the police did not entertain cases of animal

cruelty, Tai said officers will enforce the law.

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