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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (September 2) prosecuted a fresh provision shop licensee for breaching the ban on keeping live poultry at retail outlets overnight.
FEHD officers, during an inspection last Wednesday (August 27) at dawn, found three live chickens in a cage inside a fresh provision shop at stall no. 71, Commercial Complex, Upper Pak Tin Estate.
The operator of the fresh provision shop was therefore suspected of breaching the Food Business (Amendment) Regulation 2008, which bans the stocking of live poultry at retail outlets overnight.
"To protect public health and further reduce the risk posed by avian influenza, the Government amended legislation earlier to require operators of live poultry market stalls and fresh provision shops to slaughter all live poultry remaining at their premises before 8pm each day," an FEHD spokesman said.
"They have to ensure that there is no live poultry at their premises between 8pm each day and 5am the next day."
Ends/Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:45
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