(CN - HKG) Allow all dogs to stay, SPCA urges

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Thursday, September 25, 2003

South China Morning Post

http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZGNQGMWKD.html

 

The animal rights group claims owner responsibility is the key, not

pets' weight

 

An animal rights group yesterday urged the Housing Authority to

allow dogs of all sizes at public housing estates to remain with their

owners because otherwise many might be left homeless.

 

Residents of the authority's subsidised housing flats are to vote

today to decide on pet policy after receiving a proposal from the Housing

Department which suggested that existing owners with dogs under 20kg be

allowed to keep them until the animals died.

 

Lisa Tsui Wing-miu, chairwoman of the Society for the Prevention of

Cruelty to Animals, said large dogs would not necessarily cause a

disturbance in a public housing estate.

 

" We hope that they would consider allowing responsible owners to keep

their large dogs, " she said of the authority. " We believe it's not the

weight that determines whether a dog should be kept. It depends on whether

the pet owner is responsible. "

 

She welcomed the softening of the department's pet policy, which

called for strictly no dogs or cats in public housing estates.

 

The SPCA received 187 inquiries about the surrendering of animals in

the first half of this month. The main reason was people feared they would

no longer be allowed to keep their pets. In August, the organisation

received 373 similar inquiries.

 

Pet owners who want to give up their animals can no longer surrender

them to the SPCA, which changed its policy last year.

 

Instead, they can give the animals to the Agriculture, Fisheries and

Conservation Department, which would then put down animals that are not

adopted. The SPCA accepts some healthy animals from the department for

adoption.

 

The group has sent a code of conduct to the director of housing

detailing pet owners' responsibilities. Many of its recommendations are

similar to those outlined in the Housing Department's proposal, which

requires pet owners to neuter and register the animals.

 

Like the department, the SPCA also recommends pet owners avoid taking

their pets out during " busy hours " and that they should be leashed or

transported by a carrier when outside the flat.

 

The proposal also suggests that pet owners be banned from keeping the

animal if they tell lies on the registration form, keep an unregistered

animal, keep a breed that is not allowed by law, or if the pet does not

comply with the code of conduct.

 

elaine.wu