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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. DENNY HUANG (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, if we say we have to restrict dogs from entering parks, I think we are being too extreme. However, management staff of our parks could pay attention to this matter; on the one hand, they can give verbal warnings to dog owners, and on the other hand, if the dog owners do not listen to their advice, then they can inform other USD staff to go and prosecute those who persistently refuse them. Mr. FORSGATE is being very kind; actually, he used to be a vice-chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee for many years, and if he has any very good advices, I am certainly very happy to listen to them.
MR. LAWRENCE FUNG (in English):- I believe in New York city, they have stringent health regulations that whenever a dog owner takes a dog out, he or she must carry a scoop and a brush for the purpose of scooping up the excreta. So, will the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee consider passing such legislation in Hong Kong?
DR. DENNY HUANG (in Cantonese): I would like to thank Mr. FUNG for informing me about the situation of dog owners in the United States. However, we should say that in foreign countries, there are a lot of people who love dogs and keep dogs for the sake of love. For instance, in the States, nobody would eat dog meat; however, in Hong Kong, there are some people who eat dog meat, and there are others who keep dogs because it is fashionable, so the rich keep dogs. So, any person on the streets would also like to keep dogs, but they certainly don't love the dogs, nor do they know how to care for their dogs. As to whether we can train local dog owners to follow their dogs with a piece of newspaper whenever their dogs go out for a walk, I think this would be rather difficult. What we can do as a Council is that we can make use of publicity methods: first, inform our dog owners that fouling by dogs is against the law, and secondly, we can also step up our enforcement and prosecution action.
Miss CECILIA YEUNG (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask some supplementary questions; sometimes in front of our parks, we see notices which state that dogs are not allowed, and some are without such notices. How do we draw the line?
DR. DENNY HUANG (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, I believe this answer should probably be answered by Mr. Howard YOUNG because parks are not under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee; they should be under the jurisdiction of the Recreation Select Committee, so perhaps Mr. YOUNG can answer this question for me.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):- Are there any other questions concerning excreta? (laughter)
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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MISS CECILIA YEUNG (in Cantonese):- When the dogs enter the parks, do they foul?
DR. DENNY HUANG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, when the dogs enter parks, well, Mr. Chairman, of course, dogs are illiterate, so they do not know from which parks they are prohibited. (laughter)
MOTIONS
1. THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, moved the following motion:-
RESOLVED that the Council should resolve itself into the Standing Committee of the Whole Council under Standing Order 2.
He said (in English):-
RESOLVED that the Council should resolve itself into the Standing Committee of the Whole Council under Standing Order 2.
MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE, VICE-CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL seconded (in English):- Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
(Note: The minutes of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council are recorded separately in Committee Minutes CW/4/85.)
2. THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, moved the following motion:-
'RESOLVED that this Committee resumes business as the Urban Council.'
He said (in English):-
RESOLVED that this Committee resumes business as the Urban Council.
MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE, VICE-CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL seconded (in English):- Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
3. MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:-