(CN - HK) Groups push for neutering of stray dogs

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South China Morning Post

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by Dan Kadison

Jan 11, 2009

 

Members of animal-welfare organisations will meet this month to discuss

strategies to promote their alternative to catching and killing stray and

feral dogs in Hong Kong.

 

The Hong Kong No Kill City Forum, a coalition of 23 animal-welfare groups,

is looking to find a way to convince district councillors and Agriculture,

Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) officials that a

trap-neuter-and-return (TNR) programme is the best way to solve the problem.

http://www.hknokillcity.org/

 

On average, 12,000 are rounded up and euthanised in the city every year,

according to Fiona Woodhouse, deputy director of animal welfare at the

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is one of the forum

members. A large percentage of those are stray and feral, she said.

 

A TNR programme would see dogs treated, de-sexed, vaccinated and released.

 

At least five feral dogs, with one village mongrel in tow, ran free along

Hung Shing Ye Beach on Lamma Island last Tuesday night.

 

" This scene here is replicated throughout Hong Kong, every beach and every

country park, " said forum founder John Wedderburn. " If we can show the

system of TNR works here, then there's no reason it shouldn't be applied

everywhere else, too. "

 

There is not unanimous support for the TNR proposal, however, according to a

department spokesman. He said: " In 2008, AFCD and SPCA visited 18 district

councils to consult members ... Nine [councils] found the proposed scheme

acceptable in principle, seven raised objection and two did not hold

particular views.

 

" Full community support is essential for any TNR programme. AFCD is working

with animal-welfare organisations to refine the details of the proposed

programme. "

 

At least a few of the feral dogs on Lamma Island last week were already

believed to have been neutered and returned illegally.

 

" Some of them [on Lamma Island] have been caught, de-sexed and put back by

concerned members of the public, " said Dr Wedderburn.

 

" The government warns them strongly they will face prosecution. If the dog

bites somebody certainly, but even if the dog is wandering around and the

government control picks that dog up, and finds that it's microchipped in

the name of that person, that person will be prosecuted. "

 

On Thursday the forum will discuss how to break through resistance to the

programme, and make it legal.

 

" It's probably more of the same: press conferences, events, road shows,

letters to the papers, giving presentations to legislative councillors and

also to the district councillors, " said Dr Wedderburn. " The AFCD has to

agree, but we also want the general public to understand. "

 

There are TNR programmes for dogs elsewhere in Asia - such as Jaipur, India,

and Bali, Indonesia, said Dr Woodhouse.

 

Supporters stress that TNR would help protect against rabies, as dogs are

vaccinated.

 

A de-sexed dog placed back with its pack acted as a decoy and breeding was

reduced, Dr Wedderburn said. Moreover, feral dogs had about a

two-to-three-year lifespan because of illnesses and dangers in the wild.

 

" Dog lovers, dog haters, nobody in their right mind would like these dogs to

be here, " said Dr Wedderburn. " So we're really just talking about what the

best, most effective way is of getting rid of them.

 

" The obvious way, which has been done for the last 50 years, is to catch

them and kill them. But AFCD has been doing that for years. Just look around

you. They're still here. "