Dog injured, woman bitten in 2 new canine attack cases in Hong Kong

Hong Kong authorities are probing two recent dog attack incidents that have left one canine injured and a woman requiring medical treatment, as safety concerns surge following two more severe attacks last week. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) informed the public of the first case involving the injured dog, promising prosecution if laws are violated. However, the woman involved in the second incident refused to cooperate, fleeing the scene without contact details.

One Facebook user, Terrance Chan, reported that his dog was attacked in Tai Lam Chung Catchwater by three unleashed black medium-to-large dogs, causing severe head injuries. The woman involved fled with her dogs, allegedly not heeding past complaints about her failure to control her pets. In the second incident, a woman was bitten on her left foot by a female mongrel in Kennedy Town at 11:09 PM, resulting in bleeding and swelling. She sought treatment at Queen Mary Hospital.

These occurrences followed two previous high-profile dog attacks last week, both resulting in fatalities. The first involved a 60kg mixed-breed dog killing two small dogs near Yoho Mall in Yuen Long, while the second saw 33-year-old Wong Cho-yi die after being mauled by a dog at her pet training center in Ping Yeung Tsuen. In response, Hong Kong authorities plan to reassess the definition of fighting dogs and related regulations to enhance public safety.

Violators of the Rabies Ordinance, which bans unleashing dogs in public, face up to HK$10,000 (USD 1,275) in fines upon conviction. Under the Dangerous Dog Regulations, dogs weighing 20kg or more must be leashed in public, with penalties including up to three months' imprisonment and a HK$25,000 fine. In the first quarter of this year, Hong Kong recorded 237 dog attack reports, up from 891 in all of 2024.