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Dogs and Cats (Amendment) Bill
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Gordon Siu, in moving the second reading of the Dogs and Cats (Amendment) Bill 1996 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
I move that the Dogs and Cats (Amendment) Bill 1996 be read a second time.
The purpose of the Bill is to provide the legal and institutional structure necessary to support regulations safeguarding members of the public from serious attacks by dogs.
Existing legislation on the control of dogs requires that a dog be kept on a leash in a public place, prohibits the keeping of a dog which persistently annoys or menaces neighbours or passers-by and prohibits anyone from allowing an unmuzzled ferocious dog into a public place. If a magistrate receives a complaint that a dog is dangerous, he may order that the animal be destroyed or kept under proper control. These provisions apply to dogs in general, without reference to specific breeds.
The Bill has three main provisions.
First, it enables a police officer or any other authorised officer to seize and detain any dog that has bitten or attacked any person and, subject to the outcome of any appeal, to destroy the dog if it has caused the death of a person. A dog can also be destroyed in circumstances where it cannot be seized without a serious risk to public safety or if a magistrate orders its destruction.
Secondly, the Bill provides for appeals against various decisions made, and actions taken, by the Director or an authorised officer under the Ordinance to be considered by the Administrative Appeals Board.
Thirdly, it proposes that a Dogs and Cats Classification Board be established to determine, on application to it, the breed of a dog or cat. The Board will have 11 members appointed by the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries after consideration of nominations made by tertiary education institutions, animal welfare associations, veterinary surgeons' organisations, dog breeding organisations and the Police Force.