Hong Kong authorities have charged an animal welfare activist after a stray dog captured during an investigation into a suspected fatal canine attack on a cyclist in Yuen Long was found to have a microchip registered in his name.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and police have been conducting operations to capture stray dogs in the area following the suspected attack on Sunday.
Police suspect a pack of dogs attacked a 27-year-old woman, who was found unconscious beside a bicycle on Pok Wai South Road and later died. She suffered lacerations to her head, face, neck, arms and legs.
As of Wednesday night, eight stray dogs have been caught so far, including the latest batch of three on the same night. At least three of the eight were microchipped, according to the department.
One of the microchipped dogs, a 13-year-old mongrel named “Dai B”, was registered to Kent Luk Ka-chit, founder of the animal rescue group Paws Guardian Rescue Shelter.
The dog was among three animals captured in the first round of operations late on Sunday. Authorities approached Luk the following day after finding that the dog’s microchip was registered in his name.
Luk said he provided a statement to the department on Wednesday and was subsequently charged with failing to keep a dog under proper control and keeping a dog with an expired licence.
Luk said the dog was found wandering alone on Pok Wai South Road and was later captured. He visited Dai B on Wednesday and confirmed that it was the same dog.
“Definitely not him [in the suspected attack]. He is incredibly gentle, and at 13 years old, he walks very slowly.”
He said he first took in Dai B in 2017 or 2018.
“He originally belonged to an elderly woman who made a living collecting cardboard for recycling around Tai Sang Wai. The dog was always by her side,” Luk said, adding that she might have died as he failed to locate her home, now possibly demolished, during a recent visit.
Luk said he would not contest the department’s summons and planned to pay the penalty and rehandling fees, amounting to less than HK$3,000 (US$385), as he had done on around 200 previous occasions.
The dog licence expired in 2021.
Luk said Dai B was once attacked by dogs kept at nearby storage yards and suffered injuries. As the elderly woman could not afford the treatment, she asked his group for help.
“After he recovered, we arranged for him to be microchipped through the SPCA,” he said, referring to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
He earlier told the South China Morning Post that it was common practice among rescuers to microchip animals in their own names after treating their injuries or spaying them. Otherwise, unchipped dogs would have no registered keeper and could be euthanised if they bit someone and were captured.
Authorities are conducting bite-mark analysis and DNA tests but have not announced whether any of the captured dogs were involved in Sunday’s incident. The case remains under investigation. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
