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LCQ16: Euthanasia of animals
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     Following is a question by the Hon Claudia Mo and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council today (April 17):

Question:

     In recent years, the Government earmarked about $1.3 million per year for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) to euthanise animals.  Many animal welfare groups have expressed concern in this regard.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the actual expenditure incurred by AFCD for catching and euthanising animals in the past three financial years, together with the detailed accounts (such as the costs for purchasing medical equipment and the administration expenses, etc.);

(b) of the detailed causes for the rise of the unit euthanasia cost from $102 in 2009-2010 to $138 in 2011-2012;

(c) of the respective numbers of those animals reclaimed/re-homed and euthanised among the stray animals caught by AFCD in the past three financial years; for how long such animals had been kept on average before they were reclaimed/re-homed or euthanised;

(d) of the number of abandoned animals received by AFCD in 2012-2013; the respective numbers of those animals reclaimed/re-homed and euthansed among the animals received by AFCD in the past three financial years;

(e) whether the animals' health conditions are a major factor in AFCD's consideration for euthanasia; of the number of healthy animals euthanised in the past three financial years;

(f) whether AFCD has formulated clear criteria and detailed practical guidelines on animal euthanasia for relevant staff members and veterinary surgeons to follow; if it has, of the details, as well as the dates on which such criteria and guidelines were formulated and last revised, and whether there is a third party to monitor the compliance or otherwise of the process of animal euthanasia with the guidelines; if there are no criteria and guidelines, whether AFCD will consider formulating them and stipulating in the guidelines the requirement for a third party to monitor the whole process;

(g) of the methods currently adopted by AFCD to euthanise animals, and whether such methods include the use of inhalable gases and drug injection; if such methods are included, of the gases and drugs used, as well as the parts of the animal's body (e.g. veins in the limbs, veins in the neck or the heart) where the injection is administered; and

(h) of the measures implemented by AFCD in 2012-2013 to enhance the management of stray animals and promote animal welfare, as well as the actual expenditure incurred?

Reply:

President,

     On the re-homing of animals, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has all along been working in close collaboration with and providing support to animal welfare organisations, including offering free neutering services to cats and dogs that are re-homed by these organisations.  Through the concerted efforts of all parties, the number of cats and dogs euthanised in recent years has been declining.  

     My reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:

(a) The expenditure incurred by AFCD for catching and euthanising animals in the past three financial years is set out at Annex 1.  

(b) The increase in the average unit cost for euthanasia is mainly due to the continuous decrease in the number of animals euthanised while other fixed expenditure has remained more or less the same.

(c) and (d) The number of stray animals caught, the number of abandoned animals received by AFCD, as well as the number of animals reclaimed by their owners, re-homed and euthanised over the past three years are set out at Annex 2.

     In 2010, the stray animals were kept by AFCD for 7.5 days on average before they were reclaimed by their owners, re-homed or euthanised.  The corresponding figure in 2011 and 2012 was 7.6 days and 8.1 days respectively.

(e) Generally speaking, stray animals caught or abandoned animals received will first be sent to AFCD's Animal Management Centres for observation.  Health conditions permitting, the animals will stay for four days.  During the observation period, veterinary officers on duty will closely monitor the animals' health and other conditions to ascertain their suitability for re-homing.  Unclaimed animals will be passed to animal welfare organisations for re-homing if they are found to be healthy and of a mild temperament.  Only animals which are assessed to be unsuitable for re-homing due to health or temperament reasons, or cannot be re-homed by animal welfare organisations will be euthanised.

     AFCD does not keep statistics on the number of animals assessed to be in good health but euthanised eventually.

(f) AFCD handles stray and abandoned animals in accordance with the relevant legislation in Hong Kong, including the Pounds Ordinance (Cap. 168), the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170) and the Rabies Ordinance (Cap. 421).  AFCD has developed guidelines on euthanasia of animals for observance by relevant staff and veterinary officers.  The gist of the guidelines, which were last revised in October 2009, is summarised in the first paragraph of part (e).  Euthanasia of animals will be performed in the presence of at least one Field Officer and one Veterinary Officer.

(g) At present, AFCD uses injection of general anaesthetics to euthanise animals.  The parts of the animal's body where the injection is administered will be determined by the veterinary officer in light of the circumstances. Injection is normally performed in the muscle (thigh or buttocks) first and then in the heart.

(h) In 2012-13, AFCD has vigorously pursued various measures to manage animals and promote animal welfare.  These include (i) implementing a strengthened education and publicity programme to promote animal welfare and responsible pet ownership; (ii) devising codes of practices for the proper trading and keeping of pets and other animals; (iii) stepping up enforcement actions against pet owners and traders in contravention of relevant animal laws; (iv) improving the handling of animal cruelty reports or complaints through an inter-departmental special working group comprising representatives of the relevant government departments and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; (v) strengthening collaboration with and the provision of technical and financial support to animal welfare organisations in re-homing of animals and conducting activities relating to animal welfare and management; (vi) providing technical support and assistance to the relevant animal welfare organisations in the implementing and monitoring the "Trap-Neuter-Return" trial scheme for dogs; and (vii) setting up a dedicated cattle team to implement a long term strategy for the management of stray cattle population in collaboration with relevant animal welfare organisations and local communities. An additional provision of $4.9 million has been allocated for the implementation of the above enhanced measures in 2012-13.

Ends/Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:55

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