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Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (May 30):
Question:
It has been reported that a number of animal protection organisations accuse the animal management centres (including the Hong Kong Animal Management Centre, formerly known as the Victoria Road Government Kennels) under the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) of being unhygienic, negligent and inhumane in treating animals, resulting in animals in the centres being vulnerable to injuries, illnesses and even death. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective maximum capacity of animal accommodation for various management centres and the respective current numbers of animals accommodated therein;
(b) of the number of organisations received, other than those visits for adoption purposes, by various management centres for inspecting their facilities last year;
(c) whether it will enhance the transparency of the management centres, such as streamlining the application procedure for visits by organisations, or making such centres open for visit by the public at any time; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(d) how it ensures that frontline staff will closely follow the established procedures so that animals in the management centres will be looked after properly; and
(e) of the number of public complaints received by AFCD last year about the staff of management centres not treating the animals well, details of such complaints and the follow-up actions taken; of the number of staff being penalised in established cases, and details of the penalties imposed?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The four Animal Management Centres (Centres) under the management of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) can take in about 440 dogs and 220 cats in total. AFCD also accommodates other kinds of animals by converting existing facilities according to individual cases. As at mid-May 2007, the Centres have taken in 253 dogs, 130 cats and 244 other kinds of animals.
(b) AFCD Centres are in fact animal quarantine and inspection centres. To reduce the risk of spreading epidemic diseases, the Centres are not open for visits by either groups or individuals. That said, to facilitate animal welfare agencies arranging adoptions, AFCD still grants special permission to animal welfare agencies with prior appointments to visit the Centres for selection of suitable animals.
(c) Although the Centres are not open for visits by groups or individuals, AFCD still welcome suggestions from the public on direction of the Centres' work. Moreover, we have established an Animal Welfare Advisory Group to advise the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation on matters relating to animal welfare. The Animal Welfare Advisory Group already includes members from major animal welfare groups.
(d) AFCD staff act in accordance with internal guidelines in providing sufficient and appropriate food and water to all animals in the Centres. The animals are also cleaned with care every day. Each of the Centre is managed by registered veterinary officers and senior field officers. The veterinary officers examine the health of animals, and where necessary, give appropriate treatment as soon as practicable. Senior field officers conduct surprise inspections to check whether frontline staff follow procedures in taking proper care of animals in the Centres. Most of the Centres are provided with closed circuit television systems. AFCD is considering requiring staff at the Centres to keep more detailed records about conditions of animals at the Centres.
(e) In 2006, AFCD received a total of six written or telephone complaints from the public against treatment of animals by the Centre's staff. The complaints concerned the ways AFCD staff handled captured stray cows and dogs. The management of AFCD conducted in-depth investigation into each case. Since the outcome of the investigations showed that the complaints were not yet substantiated by sufficient evidence, AFCD did not discipline any staff because of these complaints.
Ends/Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:31
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