XN000022-1978-06-21 — Page 29

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1978

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PROBLEM OF STRAY DOGS UNDER CONTROL

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THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS THE STRAY DOG PROBLEM TO BE UNDER CONTROL, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, THE HON. TED NICHOLS, STATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR. NICHOLS ADDED, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. LEUNG TAT-SHING, THAT DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS SOME 5,000 STRAY DOGS WERE ELIMINATED FROM THE URBAN AREAS AND MORE THAN 2,500 FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+IN ADDITION, HE SAID, +OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS, A FURTHER 9,000 UNWANTED DOGS HAVE BEEN DISPOSED OF THROUGH THE R.S.P.C.A.- AND SOME 1,700 UNWANTED DOGS HAVE BEEN SURRENDERED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES FOR DISPOSAL. THUS SOME 11,000 POTENTIAL STRAY DOGS HAVE ALSO BEEN ELIMINATED.+

HOWEVER THE ANNUAL AVERAGE FIGURE OF SOME 18,000 TO 20,000 DOGS ELIMINATED SHOULD BE SEEN IN PERSPECTIVE OF THE KNOWN LICENSED DOG POPULATION OF SOME 50,000 ANIMALS THE NUMBER OF DOGS INOCULATED AGAINST RABIES DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS.

MR. NICHOLS ADDED THAT DUE TO THEIR WAY OF LIFE, CATS DID NOT APPEAR TO PRESENT THE SAME SOCIAL NUISANCE AS STRAY DOGS.

+ADEQUATE FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE DISPOSAL OF UNWANTED CATS AND DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS SOME 20,000 SUCH ANIMALS WERE DEALT WITH BY THE R.S.P.C.A.,+ SAID MR. NICHOLS,

HE ADDED THAT WHILST GOVERNMENT HAS NO IMMEDIATE PROPOSALS TO SEEK AN INCREASE IN RESOURCES TO CONTROL STRAY DOGS, THE MATTER REMAINS UNDER CONTINUAL REVIEW.

+IT IS RECOGNISED THAT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS AND CENTRES OF POPULATION, THERE WILL BE A NEED FOR A RE-DEPLOYMENT OF CURRENT RESOURCES AND A POSSIBLE NEED FOR A FUTURE INCREASE IN THOSE RESOURCES, + HE SAID.

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