XN000022-1996-11-06 — Page 18

1.

Rabies (Amendment) Regulation 1996

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Stephen Ip, in moving the motion to amend the Rabies (Amendment) Regulation 1996 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Mr President,

I move the motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.

As I mentioned in the last sitting, the Economic Services Branch and the Attorney General Chambers have decided, in response to the request of the Legal Service Division of the Legislative Council, to move this Resolution to amend the Rabies (Amendment) Regulation 1996 tabled in the Council on 2 October 1996, so as to clarify the relationship between the policy intention and the wording of several sections of the Regulation.

In order to ensure the proposed Resolution is presented in its best form, the manner in which the Rabies (Amendment) Regulation should be amended, has been agreed with the Legal Service Division.

The proposed Resolution introduces provisions to clarify the particulars to be specified in a dog licence, the purpose of the microchip that is to be implanted into a dog and the transitional arrangements in respect of licensing and microchip implantation.

Specifically, part (a) of the resolution adds a new section 19A to set out the particulars to be specified in a dog licence, these being antecedent to the requirement in section 20A to report changes to important particulars supplied in the licence application.

Part (b) amends section 20A(1) to clarify that it is the person to whom a dog licence has been granted, rather than the keeper of the dog at any particular time, who must report such changes.

Part (c) substitutes for a proposed amendment to section 27(1)(c) a clearer provision, in a new section 27A, empowering an authorised officer to implant a microchip into a dog. It also creates a consequential offence of unauthorised implantation. Finally, it clarifies that the microchip serves not only as evidence of vaccination against rabies, but also as a means of identification of the dog.