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The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department today (July 14) reminded people not to buy pets from unlicensed traders following a joint decoy operation by the department and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to crack down on trading of pets through the internet.
Four Chihuahua pups were seized in the operation earlier this month and a keeper of a pet grooming shop will face prosecution for trading animals without a valid licence.
Under the Public Health (Animal and Birds) (Animal Traders) Regulations, a valid licence is required for sale of animals including pet dogs and cats.
A department spokesman said an investigator from SPCA, posing as a potential customer, contacted a trader who had put puppies for sale on the internet last month.
When the transaction was eventually fixed on July 3, the department staff found that the sale was inside a pet grooming shop in Chui Fung Street, Wong Tai Sin, which was allegedly run without an animal trader licence.
"In their own interest, people should buy pets only from licensed traders," the spokesman said.
All dogs for sale in a licensed shop are required to be microchipped and vaccinated against common canine infectious diseases.
Ends/Saturday, July 14, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:04
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