Gov’t refutes animal activist’s claims over stray dog culling following fatal mauling

Hong Kong authorities have rejected an animal rights activist's assertion that stray dogs targeted for capture will be subjected to "convenience culling" following a fatal mauling incident last week. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) explained that a five-day operation, carried out in collaboration with police, captured eight stray dogs in Yuen Long on September 21, 2026.

Among the captured dogs, three had expired licences, indicating they were not registered. The operation was initiated following a suspected dog attack that resulted in severe injuries to a 27-year-old woman in Yuen Long. In a separate incident last month, a 33-year-old woman died at an animal shelter in Ta Kwu Ling after being mauled by a canine.

The AFCD confirmed that a frontline staff member suffered a dog bite during the operation on Wednesday and is currently under treatment. One registered keeper, animal rights activist Kent Luk, was charged with failing to maintain a valid dog licence and improper control of his dog in public. Luk claimed that he is responsible for approximately 4,000 stray dogs, many of which have been rescued by his organization.

However, the AFCD refuted Luk's claim, stating that the four-day period mandated by law is merely the necessary time for the AFCD to conduct inquiries and locate the dog's owners. Captured dogs will undergo microchip scanning and licence verification, and their registered owners will be contacted. If owners cannot be traced, the dogs will be placed under observation at Animal Management Centres.

Dogs in good health and temperaments will be transferred to animal welfare organizations for sterilization and rehoming, while those not suitable for release will remain under observation. The AFCD emphasized that dogs, even after neutering, can still pose public safety risks in densely populated areas like Hong Kong. Animal welfare advocates like Luk have suggested a "TNR" (trap, neuter, release) strategy to manage stray animals, but the AFCD clarified that registered dog owners are responsible for the lifetime care of their pets and abandoning a dog is illegal.

Authorities are considering harsher penalties for pet abandonment in light of recent dog mauling incidents in the city.