(HK) Pet abusers `killers in the making'

[Guest guest]

Hong Kong Standard

(By Timothy Chui 2008-04-14)

 

Pet abusers `killers in the making'

 

Hundreds of protesters marched to demand better protection for animals

yesterday in the wake of a series of sickening attacks.

 

Dressed in black and bearing white ribbons and flowers, the group

gathered at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai to call for more action.

 

A special focus was the killing of a cat last month for which 10 youths

- the youngest just 13 - have been arrested. ``It is time for the

government to get serious because not enough is being done,'' Animal

Earth officer Cheung Yuen-man said.

 

``As for animal abusers, where is their compassion and caring? If they

are allowed to continue to get away with their crimes, there is no doubt

they will graduate into people killers when they grow up.''

 

After a moment of silence, Cheung led the procession to the High Court

in Admiralty where a letter was left calling for heavier and mandatory

sentences for animal-abuse crimes .

 

``These incidents are still happening because the penalties are too

lenient,'' Animal Earth convenor David Wong Kai-yan said.

 

He said an animal rights volunteer had on Saturday found an adult cat

that was apparently dissected.

 

The cat was mutilated and its hind legs dissected, but there was no

blood where the carcass lay.

 

Speaking at the ceremony outside the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention

Centre, Democratic Party lawmaker James To Kun-sun called for the

formation of a dedicated unit within the police to tackle animal-abuse

cases.

 

He added the chances of mandatory sentencing being attached to animal-

abuse laws, or any other law save for murder, were highly unlikely.

 

Conservation activist Ho Loy said she is not holding her breath at the

chances of government action, but she is studying the possibility of

creating a response team for animal-abuse cases with the Lantau Animal

Welfare Concern.

 

She is also looking at raising funds to provide a cash pool to reward

informants who spot animal abuse.

 

``I think everyone is getting tired of criticizing the police. It is

time for the grassroots to do what they can,'' she said.

 

New guidelines on the handling of animal-abuse cases were issued by

police in January.

 

This was the result of a task force comprising the police, the Food and

Environmental Hygiene and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation

departments and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

timothy.chui