The loss of nature is one of the many environmental crises facing our planet. And a key challenge in addressing this is halting the poaching and trafficking of wildlife, which is often driven by demand for ivory.

In a bid to protect animals from poaching, the UK government has strengthened legal protections for five more species. Trading in ivory from hippos, walruses, narwhals, killer whales and sperm whales is set to be prohibited under the extended provisions of the Ivory Act 2018. Since coming into force last year, this act has gained recognition as “one of the toughest bans of its kind in the world”.

Courtesy of Claire Lai

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In what could be one of Hong Kong’s longest sentences in recent years relating to animals, 31-year-old defendant Leung Ting-fung was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment by Judge Leung Lee Hing-nin for smuggling 117 cats and 46 dogs into the city via speedboat (Case Number: DCCC945/2022).

The defendant pleaded guilty to five charges before the District Court, including cruelty to animals, importing unmanifested cargo, and endangering the safety of others at sea.

The desire for pedigree and pure bred cats only perpetuates the cycle of illegitimate breeders who wouldn’t care less about the welfare of the animals. We also see a large number of animals being illegally transported from Mainland China to fulfil the needs of those who want designer pets. The above is one such example, where the pecuniary gain through the illegal transhipment of animals motivates offenders. It is also abundantly clear that the health, welfare and safety of the animals being transported into Hong Kong is practically nil. Animals are crammed into small cages, with no food, water or space. It’s a true miracle that even a small percentage of these animals arrive into Hong Kong alive.

Courtesy of Wai Yan Janet Lam

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Assistant Superintendent Cheung Ka-chung of customs’ air cargo ground said on Friday, 16th of June, that authorities cracked 24 smuggling cases involving endangered species leading to 14 arrests.

In the month-long operation jointly mounted with officers from the Customs and Excise Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, authorities seized contraband items primarily consisting of dried shark fin. Other items seized in the operation code-named “Shepherd” include live Burmese and Indian star tortoise and are suspected to include ginseng, dried seahorse and orchids.

Hong Kong has long been criticised as a hub for illegal wildlife trade with  more than 640 tonnes of goods worth HK$207 million seized in 2018 and 2019.

Courtesy of Claire Lai

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A 44-year-old father who killed his pet cat by slamming it into the ground after the cat had scratched his son’s face was sentenced to two and a half months in jail.

The father, pleaded guilty at the West Kowloon Magistrate’s Court to one count of animal cruelty, contrary to section 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, Cap 169.

As a civilised society, Hong Kong shall not tolerate anyone who cruelly treats animals. However, and despite the existence of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, Cap 169 - it does not mean that there are any fewer cases of animal cruelty. There still exists a number of legal loopholes for those who commit acts of cruelty against animals to exploit. Furthermore, despite the maximum sentence able to be imposed for this sort of offending rests at 3 years’ imprisonment, the Courts in Hong Kong have still been extremely hesitant to hand down sentences that would create any deterrence.

But is Hong Kong's current animal welfare legislation sufficient in protecting the vulnerable and those who could not speak for themselves? Should the penalty for taking the life of an innocent cat only be worth 2.5 months imprisonment?

Does Hong Kong’s animal-centric legislation have enough bite?

Courtesy of Eufrosina Liu

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A UK bill aimed at banning live animal exports and introducing powers to tackle puppy smuggling has been dropped by the government over fears it would be forced into a vote on hunting.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was first introduced in June 2021, and was announced again in the Queen's Speech last year.

It would have delivered on Conservative 2019 manifesto commitments to end the export of live animals for fattening and slaughter, tackle puppy smuggling and ban the keeping of primates as pets.

Courtesy of Alvin Yiu

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A pug puppy was abandoned in near death condition inside two bin bags in Tsuen Wan on Tuesday evening. The puppy was found by volunteers from LAP (Lifelong Animal Protection Charity). He was rushed to the emergency vet, but ultimately did not survive.

The previous owner of the puppy informed LAP that the puppy had been purchased online from Taobao. He alleged the puppy had been examined by two vets and was told the puppy had an ‘incurable disease.’ Not wanting the dog to die in his home, the man abandoned the puppy, and warned LAP against taking in the dog

This extremely devastating story highlights not only the risks of purchasing pets online, but also the desire for brachycephalic dogs despite the cruel breeding practices which lead to lots of health problems in the breed.

A huge thank you needs to go to LAP for the extremely professional care and welfare shown to this brave puppy. This is why we need to continue supporting organisations such as LAP and to repeat the message ‘ADOPT DON’T SHOP’.

Courtesy of Audrey O’Young.

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On the most recent Buddha's Birthday, many Hong Kong citizens were captured engaging in “mercy release”, where large numbers of animals of all different species were released into the sea indiscriminately. Some seafood vendors have even taken advantage of this practice to make a profit, by selling animals to citizens to release them back to the sea.

This practice is not just practised in Hong Kong. Every year around the world, hundreds of millions of animals are released into the wild through this Buddhist practice. The tradition is based on the belief that freeing a captured animal creates good karma, bringing a person good fortune in this life and better prospects for the next.

Such tradition began hundreds of years ago with spontaneous acts of compassion toward animals. Yet, such kind intentions lead to extremely cruel consequences. The modern day mercy release is simply an act out of selfishness to attain self-satisfaction sugar-coated with compassion and benevolence.

Courtesy of Alvin Yiu

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On 14 May 2023, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise (“C&E”) Department seized 18 live turtles and 3 live lizards suspected to be endangered species worth approximately HK$160,000 at the Hong Kong International Airport.

This is the first case of live endangered species smuggling involving a passenger detected by Customs this year since the resumption of normal travel between the city and other parts of the world.

Frustratingly, AFCD had reportedly confirmed that, as of January 2022, the powers of OSCO have not yet been invoked in any enforcement cases handled by the department. It remains to be seen whether and how the OSCO amendment bill will be implemented in practice.

Courtesy of Ruby Tam

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The UK government has allowed animal testing for makeup ingredients to resume despite a 25-year ban. It changed a policy on animal testing to align with EU chemical rules, according to a High Court ruling.

The High Court said on Friday that the government was acting legally after a case was brought by animal rights activists.

More than 80 brands have said they are "dismayed" by the government's new position.

Courtesy of Kt Dallison

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The Hong Kong Government proposes to amend the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance, Cap 170, stipulating that in addition to wild animals, no one shall be permitted to feed feral pigeons.

At present, feral pigeons are classified as domestic animals, as opposed to wild animals defined under the Ordinance.

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Whales have taken as long as two hours to die during Icelandic hunts, according to a report by the Icelandic food and veterinary authority.

A number of the carcasses of the fin whales shot by explosive harpoons during hunts in Iceland last year were examined by the organisation, which found that almost 40% struggled for approximately 11 and a half minutes before they died, while two took more than an hour.

A quarter of the fin whales, the second-largest mammal on Earth after the blue whale, considered “vulnerable” globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, had to be harpooned a second time. Only 59% died instantly.

Courtesy of Emma Brady

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There has been a worrying trend of animal abuse cases in Hong Kong recently, with six notable incidents being reported in the past two weeks. Animal welfare organisations have been calling for stricter laws and enforcement to protect animals from such cruelty. It is time Hong Kong recognises the importance of treating all living beings with kindness and respect, and to take action to prevent such abuse from occurring.

Our article looks into the six recent cases of animal cruelty in Hong Kong and considers what can and should be done to ensure that this trend does not continue.

Courtesy of Eufrosina Liu

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Following a state-wide ban on the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits at retail pet stores in December last year, New York City has taken one step further in animal welfare by banning the sale of guinea pigs. This ban follows what was a post-pandemic boom in guinea pig surrenders.

Courtesy of Merissa Quek

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Following a decade-long campaign led by The Kennel Club the UK’s largest dog welfare and training organisation, the UK government has officially banned the use of remote controlled electronic shock collars on dogs and cats, with the new legislation due to come into effect on 1 February 2024.

Electric shock collars are controversial pet accessories often used as a training device to control or punish unwanted behaviour in dogs. Such devices can deliver painful electric shocks to dogs’ necks via a hand-held control or an automatic trigger, for up to eleven seconds at a time and from up to a distance of two miles – meaning that a dog unable to see its owner can still receive the shock.

In Hong Kong, there are currently no laws regulating or prohibiting the sale and/or use of electric shock collars, which can easily be purchased from pet shops or on the Internet.

Courtesy of Ruby Tam

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UK High Court judges this week are hearing arguments by the Humane League UK in their Judicial Review regarding the legality of “Frankenchicken” after Lord Justice Singh last year said a full hearing regarding fast growing birds was in the public interest.

“Frankenchickens” are birds bred to grow faster and larger. They constitute around 90% of the chickens slaughtered each year in the UK. They reach maturity 12 weeks quicker and can be up to twice the size of a typical farmed bird, reaching its kill weight in only 35 days.

As a result, the Humane Society UK argues that they “can suffer from a range of health and welfare issues, including heart attacks, lameness, green muscle disease, hock burns and organ failure.”

Courtesy of Claire Lai

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Hong Kong Police have recently been investigating two suspected cases of animal cruelty involving dogs.

In the first case, a nine-year-old Yorkshire terrier was found to have life threatening head injuries, with an operation to save the dog recovering 18 skull fragments.

In the second case, a husky was in metal cage with its head hanging out of an opening, before a lid was closed on the animal with someone’s hand seen pressing down on the flap in an apparent attempt to briefly strangle it.

Animal cruelty will never be tolerated. If you see or suspect any persons committing acts of cruelty towards animals, please immediately report these incidents to the Hong Kong Police. Every animal matters and every person can make a difference.

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A two-metre crocodile, captured by Hong Kong conservation officers at a village in the New Territories about four hours after it was first spotted on Sunday in the yard of a house, has been sent to Ocean Park.

Two reptile experts said they believed the female crocodile had been smuggled into the city as a pet, and urged the government to ramp up regulations on the trade in exotic animals.

Another crocodile, around 1.2 metres long and weighing about 5kg, was found abandoned in Tai Po Village in 2012, while a young 33cm crocodile was caught in Bride’s Pool in Tai Po in 2019.

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HKALPO had the fortune to attend to the "Dog Dog Shipcation" event this weekend! The event was co-hosted by SPCA and Star Ferry, and it was the iconic ferry’s FIRST-EVER dog-friendly harbour tour in Hong Kong.

One of the key objective of the event was to promote pet-friendly public transportation in Hong Kong, making the city a better place for our furry family members.

If you’re an animal lover, you and your furry friend must support the next Dog Dog Shipcation event. Thank you to SPCA for inviting us to attend the event!

Courtesy of Chloe Ip & Twiggy

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A Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)-led team has discovered a new species of box jellyfish in the Mai Po Nature Reserve in Hong Kong.

The new jellyfish species, which belongs to the family Tripedaliidae, was named Tripedalia maipoensis by the research team. It is the first discovery of a new box jellyfish species from the waters of China. The discovery also adds a fourth species to the Tripedaliidae family.

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Scientists operating a submersible have discovered deep-sea coral reefs in pristine condition in a previously unexplored part of the Galápagos marine reserve.

Diving to depths of 600 metres (1,970ft), to the summit of a previously unmapped seamount in the central part of the archipelago, the scientists witnessed a breathtaking mix of deep marine life.

This has raised hopes that healthy reefs can still thrive at a time when coral is in crisis due to record sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification. It also showed the effectiveness of conservation actions and effective management,

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