Happy Chinese New Year - Year of the Ox.

恭喜發財, 新年快樂, 大吉大利, 出入平安, 心想事成

Happy Chinese New Year! May this Year of the Ox be filled with happiness, prosperity, good health and many precious moments with your loved ones. Let the diligent, dependable and determined nature of Oxen be reflected in your everyday life, to allow you to fulfil all the goals you have set for yourself this coming year.

As always, thank you for for supporting HKALPO and all that we strive to do for animals. We look forward to the New Year and continuing our mission of advocating for better and more protective laws for animals in Hong Kong.

Year of the Ox.

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2021 is the Year of the Metal Ox. People born in the Year of the Ox are strong, reliable, fair and conscientious, inspiring confidence in others. They are also calm, patient, methodical and can be trusted. Although they say little they can be very opinionated. They believe strongly in themselves, but are also stubborn and hate to fail or be challenged. Although they do not lose their temper easily their anger can become explosive and impulsive. They are serious, quiet and not naturally sociable, which can make them dull. Those people born in the Year of the Ox are said to have a great deal of common sense.

Here are some of the world’s most famous Oxen:-

  • Rosa Parks: American Civil Rights Activist

  • Margaret Thatcher: Former Prime Minister of UK.

  • Barak Obama: 44th President of the United States of America.

  • Andy Lau Tak Wah (劉德華) and Jacky Cheung Hok-yau (張學友): Hong Kong Pop Idols

  • Naomi Osaka: Current Women’s World No. 1 Tennis Player

Cruelty to Cattle & Buffalo in Hong Kong.

You may have come across a herd of cattle or buffalo as you hike through some of Hong Kong’s many beautiful country parks. They’re quite a common sight around Lantau and Sai Kung, but unfortunately, there have been a worrying number of incidents involving cruelty to these animals which has angered some of the community-run cattle protection groups.

Sai Kung Buffalo Watch (SKBW) and Lantau Buffalo Association (LBA), groups were founded by neighbourhood locals advocating for responsible herd management and sustainable preservation of the cattle’s natural habitats, continue to discovery animals with severe and unexplained wounds including the deliberate cutting and mutilation of cattle and buffalo. In fact, Dr. Alan McElligott, Associate Professor of Animal Behaviour Welfare at the City University of Hong Kong and a member of the LBA has said that the recent injuries he saw to a buffalo bull on 7 February 2021, were some of the worst to date.

The two associations both have dedicated Facebook groups in order to better communicate sightings of lost or injured bovine, and educate the general public on what to do when they come across these animals.

The Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department (AFCD) currently has a dedicated Cattle Management Team that aims to manage the wild bovine population to ensure our peaceful co-existence. The AFCD has also implemented the “Capture, Sterilisation, and Relocation” programme since 2011 to help stabilise the cattle population.

Photo courtesy of Lantau Buffalo Association.

Photo courtesy of Lantau Buffalo Association.

Kim McCoy