Every dog attack is one tragedy too many: AFCD

An assistant director for Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Jackie Yip, expressed her deep concern on Tuesday that each dog attack represents an unnecessary loss of life, vowing to address the issue of stray dogs at its origin. The statement came to light following a tragic incident where a 27-year-old woman was fatally attacked by a stray dog while cycling home in Yuen Long on Saturday night.

Three stray dogs connected to the case have been apprehended, two of which were microchipped, prompting officers to contact the dog's owners. Yip emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that if the dogs were indeed responsible for the fatal encounter, it would be the government's responsibility to safeguard public safety.

The primary focus, according to Yip, is to reduce the stray dog population through mandatory registration, vaccination, and sterilization, along with raising awareness against dog abandonment. In the immediate aftermath, authorities plan to intensify efforts in high-risk areas through targeted capture operations and stricter enforcement against dog owners.

Yip further noted that the joint operation between the police to capture stray dogs in the Pok Wai South Road area of Yuen Long would continue for an extended period. "We all know that this incident occurred late at night," she added. "During such late hours, if it were indeed related to dogs—such as stray dogs being present—the associated risk might be higher."

Hence, her current strategy aims to broaden the search area as much as possible to mitigate that heightened risk.