Save a Dog’s Life - Adopt, Don’t Shop.
Disclaimer: This post does not contain any legal advice and does not point at any particular pet shop or dog breeder in Hong Kong, nor does it argue that all pet shop owners and dog breeders in Hong Kong are cruel.
Mutts Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed by Patrick McDonnell.
We’ve all heard the phrase “adopt, don’t shop” – it’s one that has been echoed around the world in hope of spreading an important message. It is an important campaign slogan encouraging people to adopt dogs from shelters or rescues rather than purchasing a dog from a breeder or puppy mill. Hong Kong is home to many dogs housed in loving families, however it is also home to puppy mills and pet shops which subject the dogs to appalling conditions.
Licensing and Codes of Practice in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, pet shop owners are required to hold an animal traders licence (section 4 of Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Trading and Breeding) Regulations (Cap. 139B). Likewise, dog breeders in Hong Kong are required to hold a dog breeder licence (section 4AA, Cap. 139B).
Holders of an animal trader licence are subject to the Code of Practice for Animal Traders, which expressly states that the licensees have a duty of care to ensure that the dogs in their pet shop have, among other things, constant access to fresh water (code provision 2.3(a)) and an appropriate living environment with a comfortable resting area (code provision 2.3(c)). The importance of these basic necessities is evident from the fact that the aforementioned duties of animal trader licensees are reiterated under section 6 of Cap. 139B and yet, according to the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (“HKSPCA”) [1], some, if not many, pet shops in Hong Kong only provide their dogs with minimal water and food (allegedly to minimize excretion). In addition, dogs are often crammed in small cages together and hence are unable to have ample space for movement.
Under the Code of Practice for Dog Breeders, holders of dog breeder licences are subject to similar duties of care as holders of animal trader licences, including a duty to provide the dogs with constant access to water (code provision 2.4(a) and comfortable resting areas (code provision 2.4(c); a duty to care to ensure the dogs are maintained in good health (code provision 2.4(d)) and handled under conditions that would not cause distress or fear to the dogs (code provision 2.4(f)).
According to the HKSPCA [2], puppy mills are often overcrowded with dogs who are put in small cages with minimal space for movement. Just like in many pet stores, the dogs also do not receive enough food or fresh water and to reduce costs, have no access to veterinary care. Mother dogs are particularly victimized - they are forced to constantly breed even when they are suffering from malnutrition and cannot pass maternal antibodies to their newborns.
A failure to comply with the duties imposed under the Code of Practice for Animal Traders and the Code of Practice for Dog Breeders is an offence with offenders being subject to a maximum fine of HK$50,000 (section 13(2), Cap. 139B) and a cancellation of their animal traders licence and/or dog breeders licence (section 10(2), Public Health (Animal and Birds) Ordinance, (Cap. 139)) by the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation. Yet, the discrepancy between legal expectations versus the cruel reality described above suggests that the existing penalties under the law is insufficient to deter animal cruelty in Hong Kong.
What can we do to improve?
One recourse is to push for legislative change by increasing the level of punishment of offenders of Cap. 139, perhaps by imposing an increased fine for subsequent offences or even imprisonment. Outside of legal boundaries, we should continue to encourage adoption of dogs with the hope that with less business for pet shops there will be in turn a decrease in the supply of dogs from puppy mills.
It is understandable that families, especially those with children, worry about the health conditions of dogs in animal shelters. Accordingly, the below attempts to provide a non-exhaustive list of considerations for those who are torn between welcoming a dog to their families by either buying a pet from a pet store or adopting the same from a dog shelter:
Dog shelters conduct thorough interview processes prior to adoption (this might seem like a lengthy process but it is important to make sure the dog and your family are a good fit!)
Not all dogs from animal shelters suffer from PTSD – some dogs are just abandoned possibly from divorced families or families who move out of the country but cannot bring the dog with them or find a family who will take care of the dog
While some dog shelters adopt a ‘no kill’ policy, some dogs in dog shelters (particularly elderly dogs) are at risk of being euthanized to help dog shelters combat a problem of overcrowding.
Although the title of this post states that you will save a life by adopting - the reality is that you actually save more than one life – by adopting a dog another space in a dog shelter can open up for a homeless dog.
In Hong Kong, we are fortunate enough to have a number of incredible non-profit organisations that work tirelessly to find forever homes for their dogs (and other animals): -
But remember, commitment to a pet is a serious business, so adopt only when you are ready. Adopt, don’t shop – you’ll save a life!
Courtesy of Daphne Ng.
