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Following is a question by the Hon Margaret Ng and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (December 13):
Question:
It has been reported that currently there is mass culling of dogs, irrespective of whether they have been vaccinated against rabies or not, in various Mainland provinces in response to recent rabies outbreaks. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of its contingency plan to deal with the cats, dogs and wild animals in both rural and urban areas when there is an outbreak of rabies in Hong Kong, and whether the plan involves culling or destroying of animals; if so, whether dogs and other pets, with valid rabies vaccination certification, will be exempted?
Reply:
Madam President,
Hong Kong has a very good track record of rabies control and we have been rabies-free for 19 years. The last animal rabies case was reported in 1987. The last human rabies case was reported in 2001 and the patient acquired the disease abroad.
Our rabies free status is maintained by a well established rabies control system under the Rabies Ordinance (Cap. 421) and its subsidiary legislation. According to the Ordinance, all dogs over five months of age must be licensed, microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. Hong Kong is the first place in the world that requires microchipping of dogs for individual identification as a part of the rabies control regime. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) will also capture stray dogs.
Any dog that bit a person will be detained by AFCD for observation and those which died during observation would be sent for rabies testing. To prevent the introduction of rabies by importation of animals, a stringent import control and quarantine system is in place. Countries are classified into three categories according to their rabies risk. Dogs and cats from high risk countries will be subject to a minimum of four months of quarantine, amongst a number of requirements.
In the event of a local rabies outbreak, the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation will declare the area concerned as rabies control area under Cap. 421 and impose control measures within the area to regulate the movement of animals within such area and to prohibit the movement of animals going in or out of such area. AFCD will conduct house-to-house search for dogs without valid dog licence (either unvaccinated or have expired vaccination certificate) and stray/wild dogs within the rabies control area. These dogs will be seized and destroyed. Dogs with valid licence will be spared.
To comply with the requirements stipulated in Cap. 421, owners of dogs over the age of five months must have their dogs licensed and vaccinated against rabies. The dogs have to be revaccinated against rabies and their licences have to be renewed at intervals not exceeding three years. Owners failing to obtain licences or renew the licences of their dogs according to the requirements in Cap. 421 are liable to a fine of $10,000. Licensing, microchipping and vaccination service are available at Government Animal Management Centres by AFCD staff at $80. The services are also available at authorised private veterinary clinics at a fee charged by the clinics. AFCD also conduct inoculation campaign targeting at dogs on fishing vessels and at villages in the New Territories.
Ends/Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:35
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