Mon 30th Jan: Cap139B still better than nothing

Many breeders use dogs that have genetic problems like this shiba inu that came to us last year

With the new Cap139B Animal Trader laws coming into effect in March, all breeders and sellers of dogs and puppies will be required to obtain a license, whether they have commercial premises or run their sordid business from home or via the internet.  The sale of individual dogs and puppies will be also be covered by the new laws to try to close any loopholes that breeders and/or pet shops can try to use to their advantage, and even animal rescue charities such as HKDR have to apply for exemption. Hong Kong Free Press ran this story on the subject yesterday (https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/01/30/regulate-end-pet-trade-hong-kong-animal-lovers-divided-new-dog-breeding-law/), and it was interesting to read the comments on our own Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) Facebook page asking that all breeding be banned.

Of course that's not a decision for me, HKDR, or any of the animal NGOs to make, and it's taken years of back-and-forth discussion in Legco (the Legislative Council) for even this watered-down version of these Proposed Amendments to be passed. Someone called me a hypocrite for not being fully supportive of the new laws while still giving HKDR's backing, and yes, what has been offered falls short of what's really needed in terms of protection for the mother dogs and their pups, and AFCD have to prove that they can actually handle the extra work given that they don't even have the manpower to do what they are supposed to now.

However, this is hopefully just the first step and is a big breakthrough in a country that lags so far behind in animal welfare and protection.  You have to understand that dog breeding is a relatively new thing, and it didn't even exist in Hong Kong until fairly recently when the demand for certain dog breeds exploded. Then housewives and others saw a great and seemingly easy business opportunity and home breeding became a real problem, with dogs stacked in cages filling every available corner in even tiny apartments.  There were no laws preventing anyone from doing this and no controls in place at all to protect the animals from their terrible suffering.  That's why the Cap139B Amendments to the law are so important, no matter how weak they may appear to be. Something has to be done to begin to regulate the breeders and pet shops and to allow inspection of premises, whether at home or commercial.

Still, nothing in Hong Kong changes the fact that many puppies are bought in China and smuggled in across the border, or that while there is demand from buyers there will be breeders to satisfy that demand.  If you really want to put an end to the terrible trade in life then everyone has to stop buying the puppies.  There is barely a time when I go to the vet when I don't see someone with their newly bought puppy, oblivious to whatever cruelty has resulted from that choice to purchase rather than adopt.   While the public still insist on having their "purebreeds" then the suffering will continue and no law will ever change that.

Another sad fact of Hong Kong life that never seems to change is the handing over of family pets to the helpers when expats leave the country, or in this particular case just don't want the dog any more. Domestic helpers are rarely, if ever, in a situation where they are able to properly care for an animal, and dogs are often left to roam around and breed.  I have seen on many online expat forums people wanting to re-home their pets and the replies saying they will take the dogs are clearly from Filipinos.  This is not implying that being a Filipino(a) makes anyone a bad dog owner as I know plenty who are great, but they are not domestic helpers who are away from home for long hours and who often share boarding houses (which is against the law in itself but we all know it's very common).  

The puppies are clearly mixed breed

Today's sad story was a prime example of this, a dog that was no longer wanted and the maid was told by the owner to get rid of it.  She passed it to a friend who I assume, but actually don't know for sure, was in exactly the situation I described and the result is a litter of puppies, all but two of which have already died, and a dog that is in urgent need of a new home.

The dog, who looks like a shiba inu, will be brought to us on Wednesday 1st February, and will go straight into a foster home.  I have already received enquiries about adopting the mother but I'm not even going to consider that while the pups are still so young and need milk.