Authorities in Hong Kong recently conducted a raid of a shop in the Yau Ma Tei district suspected of selling dog and cat meat as food. This is despite the fact that the trade has been outlawed for over 70 years. During the joint blitz operation by the city’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, officers seized “suspected samples of dog or cat flesh”. The AFCD has arranged testing of the samples and is investigating whether the shop was trading fresh meat without a license. If proven, prosecution will be instituted. This action demonstrates Hong Kong’s commitment to upholding the ban on the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat.
2023-02-11 02:16:41
Post from www.cnn.com
The Hong Kong authorities have recently raided a shop for being in breach of the law, 70 years after the sale of cat and dog meat was outlawed in the city.
Cameras and bags containing the frozen remains of cats and dogs were seized in the raid, and the shop owner has since been charged with a total of 5 offenses. This includes two counts of breaches of the Animal Management Regulation and two counts of the Health Inspectors Ordinance.
The shock of this raid has rippled through the city and the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has declared its disgust at the shopkeeper’s actions. The SPCA has applauded the enforcement action and urged members of the public to report any suspicious activity which may indicate that the sale of cat and dog meat continues in the city.
It is estimated that 11 million cats every year become victims of the dog and cat meat trade and their numbers have been declining over recent years in response to legislation and public awareness campaigns. This raid is an important symbol of the Hong Kong Authorities’ commitment to clamping down on these abhorrent activities.
Though it is clear that this unscrupulous shopkeeper has failed dramatically in his moral duty to respect the legislation which has been in force for 70 years, the authorities’ actions have revealed that laws and regulations are being enforced in Hong Kong to protect animals from being used as food.
It is hoped that with continued enforcement, the abhorrent tradition of eating cats and dogs will soon be eradicated in Hong Kong, and animals will be able to live safely and without fear of being made into meals.