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Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London S.W.1
From the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
16 July 1974
54
Near Robin,
You wrote to Joan Lestor on 1 July, enclosing a letter from one of your constituents, Mrs Vera Galloway, of 7 Haynes Close, Welwyn Garden City, about an article which appeared in the Sunday People on 23 June concerning cruelty to dogs in Hong Kong.
We have consulted the Governor of Hong Kong about this. As Mrs Galloway recognises in her letter, the eating of dogs is a traditional Southern Chinese custom and rests on a deep-rooted belief that dog flesh has special nutritious value. Nevertheless, it is illegal to slaughter dogs for human consumption in Hong Kong and both the Hong Kong Government and the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals prosecute any cases which become known to them. But it is a custom which they have not found easy to eradicate.
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The law in Hong Kong is clear. Under the provisions of Regulation 22 of the Dogs and Cats Regulations (CAP 167), no person is permitted to slaughter any dog for use as food, whether for human consumption or otherwise. No person can sell or use, or permit the sale or use of, the flesh of dogs for food. Any person who is found in possession of the carcass of any dog, or any part therof, in such circumstances as would reasonably give rise to a belief that such dog was heing or had been slaughtered or sold or used for food in breach of the Regulation is found guilty of an offence unless he is able to satisfy a magistrate that he has not in fact committed any breach.
The Rt Hon The Lord Balniel
House of Commons
/Any person
SWL
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