The Food & Health Bureau has proposed increasing the maximum penalty for illegal animal trading, prohibiting the sale of sick animals and revising pet shop licensing conditions.

In a Legislative Council paper today the bureau said some unlicensed traders sell sick and unhealthy animals to unsuspecting customers who end up paying hefty veterinary bills.

To prevent the spread of infectious disease it proposes amending the Public Health (Animals & Birds) (Animal Traders) Regulations and revising the licensing conditions for pet shops.

Tougher penalties

The bureau suggested increasing the maximum penalty for illegal trading of animals to a $100,000 fine and that for breaching licensing conditions to a $50,000 fine.

It also proposed to empower the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation to revoke the licence of an animal trader who has committed animal welfare related offences.

The bureau also plans to amend regulations to prohibit the sale of animals or birds with infectious disease to public.

Revised condition

To safeguard the health of dogs sold at pet shops, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department consulted the trade last year on the proposal to amend the licensing condition for pet shops by restricting their source of dog supply to only a few origins, such as dogs legally imported to Hong Kong, dogs bred locally by commercial traders and dogs from other pet shops.

In the consultation process some trade representatives expressed concern over the possibility of a shortage in dog supply. The department is now conducting further consultation with the trade.

The Government hopes to implement the new licensing condition by mid-2008. After the new licensing condition has been implemented in the dog trade the department will consider extending it to other animal trades, depending on the practicality involved for different species.