• To investigate and control outbreaks of animal diseases;
• To conduct livestock farm inspections;
• To provide veterinary diagnostic support and surveillance services for detecting diseases and drug residues in food animals;
• To regulate the importation of animals/plants and their products;
• To certify exportation of animals/plants and their products;
• To control and regulate the registration and sale of pesticides;
• To monitor and regulate the trade of animals; and
• To promote animal welfare and manage stray animals.

To comply with the import requirements of destination places, the Department issues Animal Health Certificates to facilitate the export of animals and birds. A total of 4,570 applications were processed by the Department during the year.  

To strengthen the efforts to prevent illegal importation of animals and to safeguard public health, the Quarantine Detector Dog (QDD) Programme commenced operation in February 2008 and QDDs are now deployed at various boundary control points.

Under the Plant (Importation and Pest Control) Ordinance (Cap 207), any plant imported into Hong Kong must be accompanied by a Plant Import Licence issued by the Department and a valid Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the national plant protection organisation of the exporting territory.  For importation of plant pests, an authorisation must be obtained in advance.  A total of 2,506 import licences and authorisations were issued by the Department in 2015-16.

Statistics on plant import control and phytosanitary certification services are at Appendix 9.

Methamidophos has been listed under the Rotterdam Convention in September 2015 and the Government has included it to Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Pesticides Ordinance (Cap 133) in order to fulfill the Convention's requirement.

In view of the public concern over the safety of pesticides, the Department reviewed the registration of pesticides that were classified by the World Health Organization as extremely hazardous or highly hazardous (beta-Cyfluthrin, Cyfluthrin, Dichlorvos, Heptenophos, Nicotine, Triazophos and Vamidothion) and consulted the trade on the addition of pesticide registration condition to restrict the maximum concentration and formulation allowed for import.  The regulation would be effective in mid-2016.

To promote safe and proper use of pesticides, the Department participated in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Safety Week, the Flower, Bird, Insect and Fish Show, the FarmFest, the New Territories East Region Scout Band Carnivals. Moreover, the Department also organised roving exhibitions at lobbies of government offices and produced a poster "Safe Use of Household Pesticides" to remind the public of safety precautions in handling household pesticides.

Statistics on pesticide control are at Appendix 10.

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

 

Rabies is controlled effectively in Hong Kong, without any case found since the 1980s. In 2015-16, some 62,800 new or renewed dog licences were issued after the dogs were vaccinated against rabies. During the year, about 2,300 dogs and 1,200 cats were caught, received or handled. About 870 animals, healthy and with good temperament, were re-homed through 15 partner animal welfare organisations.

The Department organises roving exhibitions regularly in villages in the New Territories and on outlying islands to remind dog keepers that their dogs must be vaccinated against rabies, microchipped, and licensed once attaining the age of five months or above and re-vaccinated against rabies every three years to renew the licence.  Neutering of pets and responsible pet ownership are also promoted. Among the 12 roving exhibitions organised during the year, inoculation teams were deployed thrice to the villages on outlying islands to vaccinate villagers' dogs, renew their dog licences and give advice on proper control of dogs.

Under the law, all animal traders are required to obtain Animal Trader Licences (ATLs) and should strictly observe the corresponding licensing conditions. Pet shops are required to obtain animals for sale only from approved sources. The Department inspects these shops regularly to ensure that they do not contravene any of the licensing conditions. In 2015-16, 429 ATLs were issued, covering the trade of dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, etc.

The Government proposed to amend the Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Animal Traders) Regulations (Cap 139B) to better regulate pet trading. Drafting of the proposed amendments to the Regulations was underway.

Since 2011, the Department has been collaborating with animal welfare organisations to implement a "Capture-Sterilise-Relocate" programme for stray cattle in Sai Kung and Lantau Island with a view to controlling their population in the long run. This helps minimise the nuisance and danger potentially caused by stray cattle to the public while at the same time safeguard their welfare. Up to the end of 2015, a total of 315 cattle/buffalo were neutered and 412 heads were relocated.

The three-year Stray Dog "Trap-Neuter-Return" Trial Programme commenced at the beginning of 2015. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Society for Abandoned Animals are the programme coordinators for the Cheung Chau Trial Zone and the Tai Tong Trial Zone respectively. They are responsible for carrying out the programme according to the operating procedures set with the Department. The Department closely monitors the progress and has commissioned an independent consultant to conduct regular reviews on the effectiveness of the programme during the trial period.

To improve the handling of animal cruelty reports or complaints, an animal welfare task force involving the Department, other government departments and the SPCA was set up. The task force meets regularly and reviews the handling of animal cruelty cases to ensure that the welfare of animals involved is well protected. 

During the year, the Department organised a wide range of public education and publicity activities to promote animal welfare. They included "Pets With Love" Drawing/Painting Competition, a large-scale two-day dog adoption carnival, an animal adoption day, two dog training courses, 101 seminars at schools and estates and 33 roving exhibitions. Besides, the Department joined SPCA to organise the "Hong Kong Originals" publicity campaign for the promotion of adoption of mongrels.

The Department produced another 10-episode TV programme "Full of Love" featuring tips for caring of pets for broadcast on buses to promote rehoming of pets and Responsible Pet Ownership. The videos of last year's TV programme "Love Forever" had been added to the YouTube Channel "AFCD Animal Management".

The Department continues to provide lending service of digital video players loaded with Announcements in the Public Interest and educational videos, education panels and game booths to schools, estates and organisations to promote care for animals and responsible pet ownership.

Copies of an educational DVD in six languages were provided to 43 domestic helper agencies to help disseminate the dos and don'ts for handling dogs in public places to domestic helpers. Leaflets and posters were distributed to the construction industry to help disseminate the code of practice for keeping dogs on construction sites.