Hong Kong to strengthen police coordination in animal abuse cases

Hong Kong’s conservation officers will step up coordination with police to carry out joint operations to enter private premises when investigating suspected animal abuse, following an ombudsman’s report that found existing procedures ineffective.

A lawmaker on Friday also backed strengthening collaboration rather than granting Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) staff the power to enter flats, noting that investigative expertise rests with police.

“With cases where there is a higher risk and a possibility of animal abuse, in the future, we will seek the assistance of police and request their support in carrying out a joint operation to enter premises,” said Jackie Yip Yin, an assistant director of the department.

She said the approach would align with the ombudsman’s report and fall within the department’s current statutory powers. She added that amendments to relevant legislation had been under way for several years and were hoped to be completed within months.

Yip added that many animal abuse complaints were in fact disputes between neighbours over nuisances caused by pets, such as noise and hygiene, rather than cases of actual cruelty.

The ombudsman’s report, released on Thursday, urged the government to empower conservation officers to enter homes to investigate suspected animal cruelty, noting that fewer than 1 per cent of reported cases resulted in prosecutions.

It also called for tougher penalties for illegal animal traps, describing current fines as “no deterrence” against the deadly devices, and noted that the department only began formulating guidelines for general cases after the ombudsman’s investigation had started.