The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) today said the claim that its enforcement officers “identify a dog as a fighting dog at a glance” is entirely unfounded.
It clarified that the criteria adopted for identifying such dogs aligns with common international practice for identifying fighting dog types, adding that this meets scientific and professional standards and takes into full consideration the actual safety risks posed by the dog.
The department issued an explanatory note in light of recent suspected cases of fighting dogs being kept illegally. These case have aroused public concern and given rise to some misconceptions in the community.
Under the Dogs & Cats Ordinance and related regulations, importation, breeding, and unlicensed keeping of fighting dogs are prohibited.
A police officer or authorised AFCD officer who has reasonable grounds to suspect unlawful possession of a dog – for instance, an unlicensed fighting dog – has the authority to seize and detain the dog until it can be identified and for follow-up action to be taken.
Generally speaking, officers will take a dog away for inspection and observation with the owner’s consent. Where the dog concerned does not pose an immediate danger and the owner is able to implement appropriate precautionary measures, the AFCD may allow the owner to bring the dog to an Animal Management Centre.
The AFCD urged members of the public to understand and co-operate with its enforcement actions to jointly maintain community safety.
As to the criteria for identifying fighting dogs, the AFCD said that before classifying a dog as a fighting dog, its veterinary officers will carefully observe a dog’s physical characteristics and proportions, its body structure, and other related features to assess whether it truly possesses the high-risk traits characteristic of fighting dog types.
Regarding suggestions that genetic testing should be used to identify such dogs, the AFCD said this is not the optimal method, as dogs carrying genes from fighting dog types do not necessarily develop all the physical characteristics and features of fighting dogs.
The current internationally common practice involves an identification standard that assesses dogs’ physicality and characteristics.
The AFCD said it will continue to monitor technological developments and study the latest genetic testing methods, with a view to considering the possibility of using these as auxiliary identification tools in the future.
Dog owners may consult a registered veterinarian or contact the AFCD for assistance if they are uncertain as to whether their pets fall into the fighting dog category.
As long as strict regulatory conditions are met, current legislation allows owners to continue keeping neutered fighting dogs, the AFCD added.
