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The objective of the Government to grant animal/bird exhibition licence to those who keep racing pigeons was to regulate local pigeon racing activities under the existing legislative framework and to ensure the keeping and exhibition of pigeons were brought under proper biosecurity conditions, a spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (August 11).
Before the enactment of the new legislation, the original fee was set at $10,720 per annum, regardless of the total number of animals and birds. Following careful consideration, the Government introduced legislative amendments to the effect that the licence fee for a person to keep the total number of animals and birds not exceeding 20 be set at $2,720 and at $9,700 if the total number of animals and birds exceeded 20.
The spokesman explained: "The traditional exhibition licence was used to regulate large-scale activities such as circuses or dog performances, etc, in the past. The resources involved in regulating the keeping and exhibition of racing pigeons are different. Hence, there is a need to set different fee levels for different exhibition activities.
"The fee level of the animal/bird exhibition licence is in line with other charges by the Government, with reference to the full cost recovery principle and is also a reflection of the enforcement action."
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has received 186 exhibition licence applications for keeping racing pigeons. So far, the AFCD has processed 19 applications and granted licences to racing pigeon owners who could meet the requirements.
In the past, the H5N1 virus has been found in migratory birds and local resident birds. Although no pigeon has been found to be infected with H5N1 locally since 2002, precautions had to be taken to safeguard public health.
Before and after issuing the exhibition licence, the AFCD would inspect the environment and facilities for keeping racing pigeons to ensure they did not violate other law/regulations, including building regulations and Deed of Mutual Covenant of the relevant premises, etc. The AFCD would also conduct regular site visits and surprise inspections, take environmental swab samples and conduct veterinary inspections.
The spokesman said quite a number of people kept racing pigeons as a commercial or recreational activity, therefore it was reasonable to set the fee level with reference to the full cost recovery principle and not to subsidise such activity with public resources.
Ends/Friday, August 11, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:06
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