A lawmaker in Hong Kong has called on the government to intensify its efforts to tackle dog smuggling and illegal breeding following the death of a woman in a suspected dog attack at a pet center in Ta Kwu Ling.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has preliminarily determined that the dog involved was a crossbreed with fighting-dog ancestry, rather than an ordinary mongrel.
In response, the government has announced plans to review the definition and list of “fighting dogs” under current regulations, alongside wider measures governing dangerous and large dogs.
Speaking on a radio program on Monday, Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan, chairwoman of the Legislative Council’s Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene, said illegal dog imports and breeding continued to pose challenges for authorities and remained difficult to monitor effectively.
Chan urged the SAR government to work with mainland authorities to tighten controls at the source. She also called for consideration of whether Hong Kong should broaden its existing list of regulated fighting-dog breeds.
At the same time, Chan cautioned the public against generalizing about dogs following the recent attacks, stressing that dogs continued to be valued as companions by many people.
Under the Dangerous Dogs Regulation, four categories of fighting dogs — Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos and Fila Brasileiros — together with their crossbreeds, are banned from being imported or bred in Hong Kong. Such dogs are also subject to stringent requirements, including compulsory neutering, muzzling and being kept on a leash in public areas.
In the Ta Kwu Ling incident, however, the animal’s microchip records identified it as a mongrel, despite a veterinary assessment finding evidence of fighting-dog ancestry. The AFCD has said it will examine how the discrepancy occurred and investigate the dog’s origins.
Chan said the incident exposed possible shortcomings in the existing licensing system. She noted that breed details are often based on information provided when dogs are still young, when mixed-breed characteristics may be difficult to distinguish.
She added that depending solely on physical appearance could make it challenging for veterinarians and AFCD personnel to determine whether puppies carry fighting-dog ancestry.
Chan did not advocate mandatory DNA testing for every dog but proposed that authorities consider reassessing breeds when animals reach about one year of age, citing a similar approach used by authorities in the UK. Where veterinarians have concerns about a dog’s lineage, DNA testing could then be considered, she said.
Veterinarian Eric Lai Cheong-sang, who also appeared on the radio program, agreed that determining the breed of young mixed-breed dogs through physical characteristics alone can be challenging. He backed DNA testing in cases where a dog’s ancestry is uncertain.
Lai also highlighted safety concerns at pet hotels and dog training facilities. He said operators responsible for handling potentially dangerous animals should examine their behavioral histories and ensure that appropriate protective equipment and isolation facilities are available.
