If enacted, the Bill will be followed by the tabling of a proposed Dangerous Dogs Regulation, which will classify dangerous dogs into three categories, namely fighting dogs, known dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs.
The "fighting dogs" category will consist of the Pit Bull Terrier and similar breeds. These dogs are liable to attack a person without provocation or warning and may inflict serious injuries or death.
"The proposed regulations will ban importation and breeding of fighting dogs. Possession of such a dog will also be prohibited unless it is neutered and covered by insurance to a value of not less than $100,000 to indemnify damage caused by the dog," the spokesman said.
The "known dangerous dogs" category will consist of individual dogs classified as such by a magistrate on application to him that the dog has a history of attacking and injuring people. Possession of such a dog will be prohibited unless it is neutered and covered by insurance to a value of not less than $100,000 to indemnify damage caused by the dog.
The "potentially dangerous dogs" category will consist of breeds including Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermanns and Mastiffs. These breeds do not normally attack people without provocation but have the size, strength and potential ferocity of a guard dog. Such dogs are also capable of inflicting serious injuries on people if they attack.
Under the proposed regulation, it will be an offence to allow a dog in any of the three categories to go into or remain in a public place unless it is on a leash and muzzled.
The spokesman said: "The densely-populated and congested environment of Hong Kong is unsuitable for the keeping of fighting dogs, which clearly pose a threat to public safety, and requires tighter controls over other dogs which can be a danger to people."
He noted that the effect of the ban on importation and breeding of pit bull terriers and other fighting dogs would be to remove them from the community within seven to 10 years as the existing dogs died.
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.
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