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Why do you choose trial sites in Yuen Long, Sai Kung and Lamma Island for the dog “Trap, Neuter and Return” trial programme for stray dogs (“TNR” trial programme)? What factors have you taken into account?
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A:
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The trial sites were suggested by the animal welfare organisations responsible for implementing the programme. We mainly consider whether stray dog nuisances are present and whether the dogs will endanger the public safety of carers and residents nearby, including risk of rabies, dog bites and traffic accidents. According to the procedures set by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and relevant animal welfare organisations, the trial sites should be far from the urban area, hospitals, schools, homes for the elderly and busy roads, etc. Since Mainland China is a rabies infected area, the trial sites should not be adjacent to the border. For the programme to be statistically significant, a trial site should have at least 30 stray dogs. In addition, we also take into consideration whether the animal welfare organisations responsible for implementing the programme can recruit enough voluntary carers in the trial sites to participate in the programme.
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2.
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How do you prevent irresponsible owners from abandoning their dogs in the village subsequently leading to hygiene problems generated by stray dogs?
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A:
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Owned dogs should be licensed and implanted with microchip. If a dog is lost and is implanted with a microchip, the owner may be reunited with the dog using our microchip database. It is illegal to abandon animals. We will strengthen enforcement and institute prosecutions against the owner should we have enough evidence to prove that he/she has abandoned the dog in the trial sites.
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3.
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How will you prevent other stray dogs from being attracted to the feeding sites?
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A:
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Dogs are generally very territorial and will prevent intrusion from other stray dogs into their territory. In addition, the AFCD will require the animal welfare organisations responsible for implementing the trial programme to remind their carers to ensure environmental hygiene when feeding dogs.
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4.
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Why doesn’t the government enhance enforcement actions against feeders who leave food on the streets, not only affecting the environmental hygiene but also attracting stray dogs, rats, cockroaches and even wild boars in recent years and threatened the safety of local residents?
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According to Hong Kong laws, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) may instigate prosecutions against those who have littered subsequent to the feeding of animals. The public may call the police or 1823 for help if there are any wild boar nuisances.
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5.
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Who will be responsible if dogs under the programme bite the villagers or cause damage to properties?
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We have selected sites far away from residential areas and required animal welfare organisations implementing the programme to buy insurance as the possibility that some dogs under the programme may bite passers-by or cause traffic accidents and damage to property cannot be totally ruled out.
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6.
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How will the government handle nuisance complaints generated by dogs under the programme?
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Nuisance complaints will be handled based on the nature on the case. If environmental hygiene is involved, we will notify the FEHD to strengthen cleaning. AFCD will first capture dogs causing nuisance to the public and will discuss with relevant animal welfare organisations on how to handle the dogs. If the dog bites a public, we will capture and remove it from the programme in order to ensure public safety.
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7.
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How many dogs are involved in the dog “TNR” trial programme? Will you regularly announce the number of dogs trapped, neutered and returned?
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The trial sites are suggested by relevant animal welfare organisations and the number of stray dogs required in the trial site is about 30 or more according to the protocol. Before the implementation of the trial programme, an independent research institution will be commissioned to conduct a basic survey in the trial sites to determine the number of dogs. The research institution will also monitor the change of the number of dogs during the trial period and submit reports regularly. We will make regular reviews during the three-year trial period and summarize the effectiveness of the programme at the end of the trial. Relevant results will be accessible to the public.
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8.
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How will you evaluate the effectiveness of the trial programme?
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A:
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The dog “TNR” programme aims to reduce the number of stray dogs in the community and minimize their nuisance to the neighbouring communities, the evaluation index therefore mainly focuses on the change in the total number of stray dogs and complaints arising from these dogs. The effectiveness of the programme also depends largely on local community support and whether stray animals moving around freely in the trial sites will cause nuisance or endanger the local residents. Last but not least, it also depends on whether the geographical environment can prevent stray animals which are not under the programme from moving in and prevent irresponsible owners from abandoning animals there. AFCD will regularly review the programme during the three-year trial period and summarise the effectiveness of the programme at the end of the trial period.
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9.
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Who is responsible for the expenses of the programme? Why can’t the government bear all the expenses of the “TNR” trial programme for stray dogs conducted by the animal welfare organisations and other possible compensations?
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A:
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At present, the division of labour and allocation of resources concerning the trial programme are as follows: the animal welfare organisations are responsible for feeding, trapping and neutering dogs; the research institution will independently monitor the change of the number of dogs and analyse the effectiveness of the trial programme in the trial period; and the AFCD will appoint staff to handle complaints arising from the programme. The expenses for dog feeding, trapping and neutering will be borne by relevant animal welfare organisations and the expenses of the other two aspects will be undertaken by the government.
The animal welfare organisations have bought insurance for possible claims resulting from the programme. In case of property losses or casualties due to the programme, we will handle the case appropriately after consulting Department of Justice.
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10.
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Three years is too long for a trial. When will the “TNR” programme be implemented in the whole of Hong Kong?
We should be informed of the progress at each stage of the “TNR” trial programme.
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A:
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The gist of the “TNR” trial programme, is to return dogs to their origin and let them die there naturally. The reduction in the number of dogs may take a certain period of time, therefore the trial period should not be too short.
The “TNR” trial programme is not suitable for the whole of Hong Kong. Such a programme has never been implemented in densely populated cities in Europe and America. The effectiveness of the programme very much hinges on a number of factors, including the support of local residents, whether stray dogs in the trial sites will create nuisances and endanger other dogs and local public in the vicinity, whether geographically the trial sites can keep other stray dogs from moving in and prevent irresponsible owners from abandoning dogs there, etc. AFCD will regularly review the programme during the three-year trial period and summarise the effectiveness of the programme at the end of the trial period. Relevant results will be accessible to the public.
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12.
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Will the government give subsidies to those volunteers financially or physically taking care of and catching stray dogs for neutering?
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Volunteers are engaged by animal welfare organisations that advocate and execute the programme. The government currently has no plan to give subsidies to volunteers taking care of and catching stray dogs. |
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| 13. |
Why does the government not revamp the current legislation to exempt volunteers involved in the “TNR” programme from all legal liabilities? |
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In order to protect public health and effectively prevent and control rabies, Hong Kong legislation has strict regulation over dog control. Anyone owning, possessing, keeping or harbouring a dog shall legally be deemed as a dog keeper and shall therefore assume legal responsibilities as such, including microchipping, licensing having the dog vaccinated against rabies, properly restraining it in public areas, not abandoning it, and undertaking relevant legal liabilities if the dog bite someone. The executors of the dog “TNR” trial programme are defined as dog keepers by legal terms. The AFCD has consulted the Department of Justice and will exempt executors of the trial programme from relevant legal liabilities in the three-year trial period via legal procedure. Although the executors of the programme will be exempted, the public still have the right to bring a civil action against relevant animal welfare organisations or executors if the programme has caused property loss or casualties. |
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| 14. |
Non-Profit making Veterinary Service Society has for years implemented the “TNR” programme for stray dogs in Tsz Wan Shan and achieved remarkable results. Why doesn’t the government cooperate with them? What are the requirements for participating in the programme? |
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The “TNR” trial programme was initially proposed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and later supported by the Society for Abandoned Animals (SAA) who also participated in the discussion. These two organisations will execute the trial programme. Since the effectiveness and feasibility of the trial programme remain uncertain, and public funds are utilized to monitor the programme, we have no intention to increase the number of participating organisations and trial sites at this stage. |
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| 15. |
Have you discussed with village heads to get their support? Why not collect data in advance and choose districts or villages supporting the “TNR” programme? If there are fewer objections, it is believed that the implementation of the trial programme will be easier with less obstacles and a higher success rate. This can also act as an example for those districts opposing the programme. |
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A:
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The dog “TNR” trial programme is statistically significant only if there are a certain number of stray dogs in the trial sites. To reduce any negative impact on the public and to ensure the safety of carers and residents in the vicinity, there are certain restrictions on the trial sites, for example, the trial sites should be far away from places such as hospitals, schools, homes for the elderly and busy roads. Not all the districts are suitable for this kind of programme. Actually, such a programme has never been implemented in densely populated cities in Europe and America.
The smooth implementation of the trial programme very much hinges on the support and tolerance of communities. At present the trial sites were first proposed by the animal welfare organisations and local consultations are conducted subsequently. If the trial programme is supported by the local community, we will exempt the executors of the trial programme from relevant legal liabilities in the three-year trial period by going through a set of legal procedures, during which we will also monitor the work of organisations executing the programme.
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Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
May 2012
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