Following is a question by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (October 14):
 
Question:

     In light of the recent spate of dog attacks in Hong Kong that have caused injury or loss of life to humans and other dogs, public concern has been raised over the identification and control of dangerous dogs, the responsibility of dog owners to keep their dogs under proper control, and the management of stray dogs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that Schedule 1 to the Dangerous Dogs Regulation (Cap. 167D) currently specifies four categories of "fighting dogs", and that a dog may only be classified as a "known dangerous dog" on the basis of its previous attacks on humans or domestic animals, whether the Government will, as part of the ongoing review, study (i) expanding the statutory categories of "fighting dogs"; and (ii) reviewing the existing classification and control system for "known dangerous dogs", including examining the inclusion of factors such as a dog's previous attack records, behavioural history and other risk indicators, with a view to identifying at an earlier stage dogs that may pose a higher risk to public safety; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether it will review Cap. 167D and the Rabies Ordinance (Cap. 421) to strengthen the provisions and penalties relating to the abandonment of dogs, the keeping of dogs at large, and the failure to keep dogs under proper control, including examining an increase in the maximum fines and terms of imprisonment, as well as enhancing the legal liabilities of dog owners who repeatedly contravene the relevant requirements or whose dogs are involved in incidents resulting in serious injury or loss of life; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) given that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has formulated the code of practice for keeping dogs on construction sites, and that dogs may also be present at certain car parks, open working areas, logistics sites, container yards and brownfield operational areas, whether the Government will study extending to such premises the dog control requirements currently applicable to construction sites; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) over the past five years, of the respective annual numbers of stray dogs captured by the AFCD, and among those dogs, how many were reclaimed by their original owners, transferred to animal welfare organisations, adopted by members of the public, or euthanised on humane grounds; and whether the Government will study the expansion of animal accommodation facilities and increase the number of places available through collaboration with animal welfare organisations for boarding, fostering and rehoming, with a view to arranging adoption for as many adoptable dogs as possible; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) in view of the recent spate of incidents involving dog attacks resulting in injury or loss of life to humans and animals, whether the Government will review its existing stray dog inspection strategy, and proactively step up inspections in areas where dog attack incidents have occurred or where stray dogs are known to be prevalent; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; whether it will review how the practice of registering dog microchips on behalf of others should be regulated, with a view to strengthening the management of dogs and clearly identifying the persons responsible for them; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The Government attaches great importance to the recent dog attacks on people and animals. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Police are conducting a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the incidents and have taken appropriate enforcement action and control measures. It is the unequivocal statutory obligation of dog keepers to keep their pets under proper control. To enhance the protection of public safety, the Government is conducting a comprehensive review of the existing legislation on dog control, will consult the Legislative Council Panel on the proposed amendments by the end of this year and strive to complete the legislative amendment exercise within next year.

     Having consulted the Development Bureau, a reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung is as follows:

(1) The Dangerous Dogs Regulation (Cap. 167D) (the Regulation) stipulates that Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero, as well as any crossbreed of these four types of dogs, are "fighting dogs". In addition, a magistrate may classify a dog as a "known dangerous dog" if it, without provocation, bites or attacks a person or a kept animal, causing death or serious injury, or if it repeatedly attacks people or causes people to fear that they may be attacked.

     As to whether the above definitions should be updated, the Government is listening to the views of different stakeholders and will also make reference to the regulatory experience of other countries and regions, with a view to formulating an appropriate proposal based on the risk-based principle.

(2) The current Rabies Ordinance (Cap. 421) and the Regulation contain clear requirements on the proper control of dogs, and also specify the penalties for offences such as abandonment of animals.

     In view of the general public view that the existing penalties for abandoning animals and failing to keep dogs under proper control are not sufficiently deterrent, the Government will study increasing the penalties for such offences.

(3) Whether in public places or workplaces (including construction sites, car parks, open-air workshops, logistics sites, container yards and brownfield sites), dog keepers are required to keep their dogs under proper control, and to ensure that their dogs are licensed and vaccinated against rabies regularly. The AFCD will make reference to the existing "Code of Practice for Keeping Dogs on Construction Sites" to draw up educational materials suitable for rural environments, explaining to site operators and dog keepers their responsibility to keep dogs under proper control, with a view to reducing potential risks to public safety.

(4) After capturing unattended dogs, the AFCD will try to locate the keepers and contact them to reclaim the dogs. For unclaimed dogs that are in good health with a gentle temperament, the AFCD will transfer them to animal welfare organisations (AWOs) for rehoming by members of the public. Dogs that are aggressive or otherwise unsuitable for adoption may eventually be euthanised. The figures on unattended dogs handled by the AFCD in the past five years are set out at Annex.

     The Government has been actively assisting AWOs in expanding their animal accommodation and adoption facilities. The AFCD operates an annual Subvention for Animal Welfare Organisation Subvention to support animal welfare organisations in organising activities relating to animal management and welfare, including adoption services, education and publicity programmes, and preventive veterinary treatments (including neutering).

     AWOs seeking land for the operation of animal rehoming centres may consider applying for the lease of vacant government sites (including vacant school premises) published by the Lands Department (LandsD) on the "GeoInfo Map" website and made available for application by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) by way of short-term tenancies for community, institutional or non-profit making purposes. NGOs which have obtained policy support from the relevant bureaux and have secured in-principle approval from the LandsD for the grant of short-term tenancies may apply to the Development Bureau (DEVB) for funding under the funding scheme to support the use of vacant government sites by non-government organisations (the Funding Scheme) to support one-off, basic and essential restoration works required for taking forward worthy projects for the community. To date, among the projects funded under the Funding Scheme that have been completed and have commenced operation, three are animal rehoming centres. The applicant organisations are all partnering AWOs of the AFCD. These facilities could accommodate a total of approximately 450 animals (including stray dogs). In addition, one animal rehoming centre project is currently undergoing detailed design and site investigation works, with a target completion date of end-2027. For the aforesaid four animal rehoming centre projects, funding approvals under the Funding Scheme amount to approximately $135.6 million in total to date. The Government will enhance support along the aforesaid directions as necessary.

     The Government will continue to strengthen collaboration with its partner AWOs in providing accommodation and adoption services, and to promote the message of "adopting rather than buying" to members of the public who intend to keep dogs, so that more unclaimed dogs can find new homes.

(5) The AFCD has analysed recent cases of dog attacks on people and animals based on the risk-based principle. It will accord priority to stepping up patrols and capturing unattended dogs at high-risk locations where incidents have occurred or where there are larger numbers of stray dogs, so as to eliminate potential safety risks in the community. If dog keepers are found not to have properly controlled their dogs, the AFCD will take stringent enforcement action.

     The existing legislation does not provide for any arrangement of "registering dog microchip on another person's behalf". As a registered dog owner, a person must assume all the responsibilities of a dog keeper prescribed by law, and properly care for and control the dog registered in his or her name. Abandoning a dog or allowing it to wander without control in a public place is an offence. The AFCD is studying the updating of the dog licence application form, using clearer wording to remind keepers of their responsibility for proper control.

     Following is a question by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (October 14):
 
Question:

     In light of the recent spate of dog attacks in Hong Kong that have caused injury or loss of life to humans and other dogs, public concern has been raised over the identification and control of dangerous dogs, the responsibility of dog owners to keep their dogs under proper control, and the management of stray dogs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that Schedule 1 to the Dangerous Dogs Regulation (Cap. 167D) currently specifies four categories of "fighting dogs", and that a dog may only be classified as a "known dangerous dog" on the basis of its previous attacks on humans or domestic animals, whether the Government will, as part of the ongoing review, study (i) expanding the statutory categories of "fighting dogs"; and (ii) reviewing the existing classification and control system for "known dangerous dogs", including examining the inclusion of factors such as a dog's previous attack records, behavioural history and other risk indicators, with a view to identifying at an earlier stage dogs that may pose a higher risk to public safety; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether it will review Cap. 167D and the Rabies Ordinance (Cap. 421) to strengthen the provisions and penalties relating to the abandonment of dogs, the keeping of dogs at large, and the failure to keep dogs under proper control, including examining an increase in the maximum fines and terms of imprisonment, as well as enhancing the legal liabilities of dog owners who repeatedly contravene the relevant requirements or whose dogs are involved in incidents resulting in serious injury or loss of life; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) given that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has formulated the code of practice for keeping dogs on construction sites, and that dogs may also be present at certain car parks, open working areas, logistics sites, container yards and brownfield operational areas, whether the Government will study extending to such premises the dog control requirements currently applicable to construction sites; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) over the past five years, of the respective annual numbers of stray dogs captured by the AFCD, and among those dogs, how many were reclaimed by their original owners, transferred to animal welfare organisations, adopted by members of the public, or euthanised on humane grounds; and whether the Government will study the expansion of animal accommodation facilities and increase the number of places available through collaboration with animal welfare organisations for boarding, fostering and rehoming, with a view to arranging adoption for as many adoptable dogs as possible; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) in view of the recent spate of incidents involving dog attacks resulting in injury or loss of life to humans and animals, whether the Government will review its existing stray dog inspection strategy, and proactively step up inspections in areas where dog attack incidents have occurred or where stray dogs are known to be prevalent; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; whether it will review how the practice of registering dog microchips on behalf of others should be regulated, with a view to strengthening the management of dogs and clearly identifying the persons responsible for them; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The Government attaches great importance to the recent dog attacks on people and animals. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Police are conducting a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the incidents and have taken appropriate enforcement action and control measures. It is the unequivocal statutory obligation of dog keepers to keep their pets under proper control. To enhance the protection of public safety, the Government is conducting a comprehensive review of the existing legislation on dog control, will consult the Legislative Council Panel on the proposed amendments by the end of this year and strive to complete the legislative amendment exercise within next year.

     Having consulted the Development Bureau, a reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung is as follows:

(1) The Dangerous Dogs Regulation (Cap. 167D) (the Regulation) stipulates that Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero, as well as any crossbreed of these four types of dogs, are "fighting dogs". In addition, a magistrate may classify a dog as a "known dangerous dog" if it, without provocation, bites or attacks a person or a kept animal, causing death or serious injury, or if it repeatedly attacks people or causes people to fear that they may be attacked.

     As to whether the above definitions should be updated, the Government is listening to the views of different stakeholders and will also make reference to the regulatory experience of other countries and regions, with a view to formulating an appropriate proposal based on the risk-based principle.

(2) The current Rabies Ordinance (Cap. 421) and the Regulation contain clear requirements on the proper control of dogs, and also specify the penalties for offences such as abandonment of animals.

     In view of the general public view that the existing penalties for abandoning animals and failing to keep dogs under proper control are not sufficiently deterrent, the Government will study increasing the penalties for such offences.

(3) Whether in public places or workplaces (including construction sites, car parks, open-air workshops, logistics sites, container yards and brownfield sites), dog keepers are required to keep their dogs under proper control, and to ensure that their dogs are licensed and vaccinated against rabies regularly. The AFCD will make reference to the existing "Code of Practice for Keeping Dogs on Construction Sites" to draw up educational materials suitable for rural environments, explaining to site operators and dog keepers their responsibility to keep dogs under proper control, with a view to reducing potential risks to public safety.

(4) After capturing unattended dogs, the AFCD will try to locate the keepers and contact them to reclaim the dogs. For unclaimed dogs that are in good health with a gentle temperament, the AFCD will transfer them to animal welfare organisations (AWOs) for rehoming by members of the public. Dogs that are aggressive or otherwise unsuitable for adoption may eventually be euthanised. The figures on unattended dogs handled by the AFCD in the past five years are set out at Annex.

     The Government has been actively assisting AWOs in expanding their animal accommodation and adoption facilities. The AFCD operates an annual Subvention for Animal Welfare Organisation Subvention to support animal welfare organisations in organising activities relating to animal management and welfare, including adoption services, education and publicity programmes, and preventive veterinary treatments (including neutering).

     AWOs seeking land for the operation of animal rehoming centres may consider applying for the lease of vacant government sites (including vacant school premises) published by the Lands Department (LandsD) on the "GeoInfo Map" website and made available for application by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) by way of short-term tenancies for community, institutional or non-profit making purposes. NGOs which have obtained policy support from the relevant bureaux and have secured in-principle approval from the LandsD for the grant of short-term tenancies may apply to the Development Bureau (DEVB) for funding under the funding scheme to support the use of vacant government sites by non-government organisations (the Funding Scheme) to support one-off, basic and essential restoration works required for taking forward worthy projects for the community. To date, among the projects funded under the Funding Scheme that have been completed and have commenced operation, three are animal rehoming centres. The applicant organisations are all partnering AWOs of the AFCD. These facilities could accommodate a total of approximately 450 animals (including stray dogs). In addition, one animal rehoming centre project is currently undergoing detailed design and site investigation works, with a target completion date of end-2027. For the aforesaid four animal rehoming centre projects, funding approvals under the Funding Scheme amount to approximately $135.6 million in total to date. The Government will enhance support along the aforesaid directions as necessary.

     The Government will continue to strengthen collaboration with its partner AWOs in providing accommodation and adoption services, and to promote the message of "adopting rather than buying" to members of the public who intend to keep dogs, so that more unclaimed dogs can find new homes.

(5) The AFCD has analysed recent cases of dog attacks on people and animals based on the risk-based principle. It will accord priority to stepping up patrols and capturing unattended dogs at high-risk locations where incidents have occurred or where there are larger numbers of stray dogs, so as to eliminate potential safety risks in the community. If dog keepers are found not to have properly controlled their dogs, the AFCD will take stringent enforcement action.

     The existing legislation does not provide for any arrangement of "registering dog microchip on another person's behalf". As a registered dog owner, a person must assume all the responsibilities of a dog keeper prescribed by law, and properly care for and control the dog registered in his or her name. Abandoning a dog or allowing it to wander without control in a public place is an offence. The AFCD is studying the updating of the dog licence application form, using clearer wording to remind keepers of their responsibility for proper control.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (October 14) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island, and Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach in Islands District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     Following is a question by the Hon Adrian Ho and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (October 14):

Question:

     It has been reported that in recent months, vehicles have been parked for long periods at night on relatively narrow road sections in Wan Chai District (such as in the vicinity of Wan Chai Road). This has affected the passage of large vehicles, caused obstruction to local road traffic, and brought much inconvenience and nuisance to residents in the district. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of (i) complaints received by law enforcement agencies over the past three years involving illegal parking of vehicles in respect of the aforesaid road sections in the district and (ii) prosecutions instituted;

(2) as there are views relaying that persons involved in the aforesaid illegal vehicle parking are suspected of engaging in illegal acts (such as allegedly transporting women by prostitution syndicates to and from hotels or buildings in the district), whether law enforcement agencies have conducted in-depth investigations into the issue to ascertain if syndicate-controlled illegal acts are involved; if so, of the progress of the relevant investigations and the prosecution status respectively; if not, the reasons for not conducting in-depth investigation into the issue; and

(3) to effectively combat various illegal acts in Wan Chai District and maintain law and order in the district, whether law enforcement agencies have plans to establish a notification mechanism with stakeholders in the district, so as to enhance co-operation in combating the use of premises such as bars, residential buildings and hotels in the district for organised illegal activities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) has been closely monitoring the law and order situation in Wan Chai District and has adopted a multi-pronged strategy, including intelligence-led enforcement operations conducted in response to stakeholder reports and public complaints, with a view to vigorously combating various types of organised crime and illegal activities, including illegal parking. Having consulted the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the reply to the question raised by the Member is as follows:

(1) The HKPF is committed to ensuring road safety and maintaining a smooth traffic flow. Enforcement actions will be prioritised in light of actual traffic situation, focusing on combating contraventions that endanger road safety and cause severe traffic obstruction, in order to make effective use of police manpower and law enforcement resources. The numbers of complaints received by the HKPF and the Transport Department (TD) against illegal parking of vehicles in Wan Chai District, including narrower sections such as Wan Chai Road, and the corresponding numbers of summonses issued over the past three years are set out in the table below:

Statistics of illegal parking in Wan Chai District
 

	Number of complaints (Note)						Number of summonses issued by the HKPF
	HKPF			TD
Year	2024	2025	2026 (as at September)	2024	2025	2026 (as at September)	2024	2025	2026 (as at September)
Narrower sections in Wan Chai District
(1) Wan Chai Road	156	167	170	0	0	2	1 960	1 438	638
(2) Heard Street	16	14	6	0	0	0	507	426	154
(3) Mallory Street	23	7	15	0	0	0	299	360	147
All sections in Wan Chai District, including the narrower sections above
Total	15 815	14 998	12 651	17	76	127	106 672	84 857	39 622

Note: As identical complaints may be received by the HKPF and the TD at the same time, there may be double-counting in the numbers of complaints received by the two departments.

(2) The HKPF has been committed to combating all forms of illegal prostitution, especially organised prostitution activities. Under section 130 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200), a person who harbours another person or exercises control, direction or influence over another person for the purpose of or with a view to that person's prostitution shall be guilty of an offence, and offenders shall be liable to imprisonment for up to 14 years; under section 137 of the Ordinance, a person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution of another shall also be guilty of an offence, and offenders shall be liable to imprisonment for up to 10 years.

     As regards the combat of illegal prostitution activities in Wan Chai District, the HKPF and the Immigration Department have been maintaining close intelligence exchanges and will carry out regular joint operations codenamed "Tigertail" during which suspected vice establishments are raided. The Police will also carry out intelligence-led enforcement actions, conduct in-depth investigations and combat organised prostitution activities, so as to reduce the nuisance these activities may cause to the public. Over the past year, in operations against prostitution conducted in the vicinity of Wan Chai Road, the Wan Chai Police District arrested and prosecuted a total of 15 women for suspected breach of conditions of stay, while no syndicate-controlled operations were involved. The HKPF will continue to take proactive enforcement actions with a view to vigorously combating prostitution activities in the district.

(3) Good police-community relations are integral to preventing and fighting crime as well as upholding law and order in the community. The HKPF has been working closely with stakeholders in Wan Chai District to maintain public order. In this regard, the Hong Kong Island Region of the HKPF launched Project SAFE in 2023 to proactively share crime information with community stakeholders, and encourage them to enhance collaboration with the Police by, for example, providing criminal intelligence, assisting in the dissemination of crime prevention messages and leveraging technology (such as installing closed-circuit televisions) to enhance crime prevention capabilities. To date, nearly 230 partner organisations in Wan Chai District, including hotels, bars and other businesses, have participated in the project, helping to strengthen the Police's intelligence-gathering capabilities.

     Furthermore, the Wan Chai Police District will, in view of crime trends, strengthen liaison and intelligence exchanges with local stakeholders, including property management and security companies, to jointly combat crime. The Police will proactively convey crime prevention information to building security personnel, provide guidance on how to identify illegal prostitution activities to prevent suspicious persons from entering the buildings, and encourage them to report to the Police whenever a suspected crime is taking place, with a view to fostering police-community co-operation and fighting crime with concerted efforts.

     The Government will introduce legislative amendments to the Mediation Ordinance (Cap. 620) to empower the Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited (HKMAAL), on application by any party to an agreement to mediate, to decide the number of mediators or appoint mediators in prescribed circumstances where parties fail to reach an agreement, or where the agreed appointment procedure has not been carried out (Proposal).

     A spokesman for the Department of Justice said, "The Proposal aims to streamline the mediation process, reduce the risk of stalled proceedings arising from any disagreement over mediator appointments, and improve overall efficiency in case administration. These enhancements are especially beneficial for time-sensitive disputes. Granting the HKMAAL the said statutory power is expected to encourage the use of mediation as a dispute resolution mechanism. It will help bolster Hong Kong's competitiveness as a leading international dispute resolution hub and develop Hong Kong into a global capital of mediation."

     The Proposal was formulated on the basis of the recommendations made by the Working Group on Mediation Regulatory System in December 2025 following a stakeholder consultation. A primary objective of this legislative amendment is to recognise and further enhance the HKMAAL's leading status within the mediation sector.

     Since its incorporation in 2012, the HKMAAL has been operating as a premier, industry-led mediation accreditation and regulatory body. The HKMAAL is responsible for setting accreditation standards for mediators and mediation training courses, assessing applications for mediator accreditation and training course accreditation, and regulating accredited mediators. The member organisations of the HKMAAL span a diverse range of sectors, including law, dispute resolution, family welfare, construction, architecture, surveying and engineering. Unlike most mediation institutions in Hong Kong, the HKMAAL does not provide any mediation services or mediation training courses, whether on a for-profit or non-profit basis. Also, under "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mediation Rules (2025 Edition)", the HKMAAL is designated to appoint a mediator for the parties when they fail to reach a consensus on the choice of a mediator. The HKMAAL's distinctive role is also reflected in the Judiciary's requirement that mediators be accredited by the HKMAAL to participate in its mediation-related schemes. Given the HKMAAL's unique role and standing in the mediation sector, as well as the breadth of sectors covered by its member organisations, the Government considers the HKMAAL the most suitable organisation to exercise the said statutory appointing power.

     The Proposal, together with the other recommendations made by the Working Group, including that the HKMAAL will revise the Hong Kong Mediation Code and encourage its adoption, implement a robust complaint-handling and disciplinary framework to enforce the Mediation Code, and actively participate in global discussions on dispute resolution, forms a comprehensive package to enhance the mediation regulatory system in Hong Kong.  

     The recommendations and the key provisions in the amendment bill received general support from major legal and dispute resolution bodies, as well as the Judiciary, during further stakeholder consultations conducted from June to July 2026.  

     The Mediation (Amendment) Bill 2026 was gazetted on October 2 and was introduced into the Legislative Council today (October 14).