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Animal lovers will have the chance to get together and share their experiences of keeping pets at the "Pets are Family Too" carnival cum adoption day at Wai Man Road Playground, Sai Kung this Saturday and Sunday (November 3 and 4).
The carnival is organised by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) with support from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Society for Abandoned Animals, Hong Kong Dog Rescue, Lifelong Animal Protection Charity, Sai Kung Stray Friends and Hong Kong Mongrel Club. It aims to encourage people to adopt animals and promote responsible pet ownership.
Many animals deserve a second chance to be a lovable pet again after being abandoned or given up by their owners. The AFCD encourages the public to adopt these animals through approved non-profit-making animal welfare organisations. Currently, abandoned or unclaimed pets with a friendly temperament and good health are selected by the AFCD for rehoming. They are sent to 13 partner animal welfare organisations for adoption. The animals include dogs, cats, rabbits, chinchillas and reptiles.
The AFCD promotes the animal rehoming scheme through websites, pamphlets, leaflets, exhibitions, school visits and joint promotional activities, as well as by providing an outsourced free neutering service for animals adopted through partner organisations. As at October 2012, the number of animals rehomed by the AFCD through its partner organisations this year had reached 765.
An array of informative and entertaining activities will include game booths, a playground for dogs, dog adoption services, demonstrations by the AFCD's Quarantine Detector Dogs and Police dogs, educational exhibitions, pet keeping sharing sessions and a basic veterinary consultation service. Winning entries of a microblog film/short video contest will be announced and awards will be presented to the winners at the opening ceremony to be held tomorrow afternoon.
Members of the public who successfully adopt a dog via the event will be awarded a free dog behaviour training course offered by the AFCD for their pet.
The carnival will run from 10am to 6pm. Admission is free. Participants are welcome to bring their pets. All dogs entering the venue should be under proper control, and be licensed, vaccinated, and microchipped.
For details of the event, please visit www.petsarefamily.com.hk.
In addition, a new set of television and radio Announcements in the Public Interest (API) has been recently produced to promote responsible pet ownership and the responsibilities that come with owning a pet. The new television API will be premiered at the carnival and will be broadcast on major television channels starting tomorrow.
Ends/Friday, November 2, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:01
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