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Leopold Chen

Matthew Cheng

Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to review the laws governing dangerous dogs and the related penalties after a woman and another pet were injured following a string of similar cases.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Wednesday acknowledged public concerns over the spate of dog attacks and said education would need to be strengthened to prevent further cases.
Authorities would strictly enforce the law against any owners who failed to control their pets, he added.
“The dog owners’ responsibility is very important. If a dog is in a public place, the owner must keep it under proper control to ensure it does not harm or disturb others,” Lee told the media after visiting low-income residents in Sham Shui Po district.
He also said the government would examine whether current laws on dangerous dogs and related penalties were sufficient.
The Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) earlier announced a review of the legal definition of fighting dogs and related regulations.
The announcement was in response to the mauling of the 33-year-old owner of a pet training facility by a mixed-breed fighting dog registered as a mongrel last week. She was discovered dead nearby shortly after the attack.


Earlier that week, a 60kg (132lbs) mixed-breed dog killed a miniature poodle and a bichon frise in separate attacks near Yoho Mall in Yuen Long.
Two further attacks were also reported this week.
In the first case, a woman called police after being bitten by a dog in Kennedy Town at 11.09pm on Tuesday.
The force said the woman had been bitten on her left foot by a female mongrel being walked by a man. It remained unclear if the dog was on a leash.
She was taken to Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam for treatment of the bite, which had caused bleeding and swelling, police said.
The AFCD said it was reaching out to the victim and the dog owner as part of its investigation.
Police also said on Wednesday they had received a report from a woman the previous afternoon that her dog, a nine-year-old Malinois, had been attacked by other canines, leaving it with head injuries.
The case was referred to the AFCD, which said it had contacted the animal’s owner to gather more information.
“If there is sufficient evidence that persons concerned had violated laws, the AFCD will initiate prosecution,” it said.

A Facebook user, Terrance Chan, said on Tuesday that a family member had taken his dog to the Tai Lam Chung Catchwater near Allway Garden in Tsuen Wan for a walk at around 9.30am when they encountered a woman with four other dogs, which were unleashed.
“Suddenly, three of the black medium-to-large dogs charged forward and attacked our dog, causing serious injuries to multiple areas of its head,” he wrote.
Chan added that the woman refused to provide contact details or cooperate in making a police report and fled the scene.
The post, which included photographs of his dog’s wounds, said this was “not the first time this woman has failed to properly control her dogs in the vicinity”.
Under the Rabies Ordinance, it is an offence to leave a dog unleashed in public areas or at any place from which it may wander into a public space. Offenders can be fined HK$10,000 (US$1,275) upon conviction.
Additionally, the Dangerous Dogs Regulation states that dogs weighing no less than 20kg must be secured in public with a leash of up to two metres (6.56 feet). Those who fail to comply face a maximum penalty of three months’ imprisonment and a HK$25,000 fine.
There were 237 dog attack reports in Hong Kong in the first quarter of this year, according to the AFCD. The city recorded 891 dog attack reports last year, up from 805 in 2024.


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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong’s John Lee vows to review laws on dangerous dogs after string of attacks

A string of dog attacks has prompted authorities to review the current legislation. Photo: Threads/yyy.yuu

A photo from user Terrance Chan’s social media post, which shows the four unleashed dogs that allegedly attacked his pet. Photo: Facebook/Terrance Chan

Chief Executive John Lee (centre) made the comment after a visit to Un Chau Estate. Photo: Karma Lo

Woman fined HK$4,000 over unleashed dog attack at Hong Kong pet garden

A Hong Kong court fined a dog owner HK$4,000 after her golden retriever, which was not on a leash, attacked a smaller dog and bit its owner. Photo: Nora Tam

Chong Oi-lam, admitted three offences after her unleashed dog attacked another and bit its owner while walking at the pet garden at Wan Chai Temporary Promenade. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong urged to adopt trait-based dog tiers, DNA checks after attacks

An unleashed 60kg mastiff-type dog killed two smaller dogs in Yuen Long last week. Photo: Threads/awingchw

Police officers patrol a path near the Ping Yeung Tsuen dog training centre where a woman was killed in a dog attack last week. Photo: Jelly Tse

Police officers corner a large dog and capture it after it fatally mauled two smaller pets in separate attacks in Yuen Long last week. Photo: Threads/bao.o5

Hong Kong to review definition, rules on fighting dogs after handler mauled

Staff at the Pawsgate training centre and pet hotel transporting a dog from the facility on Friday. Photo: Jelly Tse

AFCD investigators are looking into the origins of the dog and how it ended up at the Pawsgate pet training facility at Ping Yeung Tsuen. Photo: Jelly Tse

Ta Kwu Ling resident and dog owner, Li, says he was surprised to hear about the mauling incident. Photo: Jelly Tse

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

City leader says public education should be strengthened to prevent further attacks, after two more cases emerge


City leader says public education should be strengthened to prevent further attacks, after two more cases emerge.


Pets in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s John Lee vows to review laws on dangerous dogs after string of attacks

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}City leader says public education should be strengthened to prevent further attacks, after two more cases emerge

City leader says public education should be strengthened to prevent further attacks, after two more cases emerge