Hong Kong’s animal welfare laws fail to meet modern demands, experts say

Hong Kong's current animal welfare laws are no longer adequate to address modern issues like pet abandonment and stray dogs, experts argue, urging authorities to expedite overdue reforms. The demand for change intensified following a series of dog attacks, including a suspected fatal mauling of a woman in Yuen Long. Kim McCoy, a renowned animal law expert and founder of the Hong Kong Animal Law and Protection Organisation, stated that the Protection of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance is outdated and fails to meet the demands of contemporary society.

Stray dogs have become a growing concern due to land clearance for the Northern Metropolis megaproject, which has led to an increase in abandoned animals. Despite these concerns, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) reported no prosecutions for animal abandonment between 2023 and 2025. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that the government will amend the city's animal care laws by the end of 2027 and review pet ownership and control regulations.

However, animal welfare reform has been a long-standing issue, with a proposed amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance submitted to the Legislative Council in 2022 but never formally introduced. Animal law reform advocates argue that the current laws make it difficult to prosecute owners who neglect to microchip or properly secure their pets, and the government's reluctance to introduce "duty of care" provisions could contribute to neglect and abandonment.