630469-1899-Despatch-Importation-of-Dogs-into-Great-Britain — Page 1

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 9TH SEPTEMBER, 1899.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.--No. 498.

With reference to Government Notification No. 265 of the 28th June, 1897, the following Circular Despatch, with its enclosure, is published.

By Command,

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 6th September, 1899.

CIRCULAR.

SIR,

Dowsing STREET,

17th July, 1899..

With reference to my Circular despatch of the 17th May, 1897, I have the honour to transmit to you, for publication in the Colony under your government, copies of a Memorandum issued by the Board of Agriculture, containing information as to the conditions prescribed by the Board in connec tion with the importation of dogs into Great Britain with a view to the prevention of the re-introduc- tion of rabies into this country.

I have the honour to be,

The Officer Administering the Government of

HONGKONG.

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble Servant,

J. CHAMBERLAIN.

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

IMPORTATION OF DOGS INTO GREAT BRITAIN.

Memorandum as to the conditions which have been prescribed in order to prevent the introduction of Rabies.

1. The disease of rabies in dogs and of hydrophobia in man, which remains prevalent in almost all other parts of the world, has become practically extinct in this country, but as it may remain latent in a dog for a very long period, it has become necessary, in the interests of owners of dogs in this country, to adopt precautions against the re-introduction of the disease by means of dogs which may, unknown to their owners, have become infected whilst in a foreign country.

2. The Importation of Dogs Orders, therefore, prohibit the introduction of dogs into Great Britain from any foreign country or British Possession, other than the Channel Islands, without the sanction of the Board of Agriculture; and the landing of a dog from abroad (whether originally exported from Great Britain or not) will, unless a licence has previously been obtained, render the owner liable to a penalty of £20 and the possible seizure of the dog.

3. Every person wishing to introduce a dog into Great Britain must, before the dog is embarked, obtain a licence permitting the landing of the dog on arrival; and the attention of owners, charterers, and masters of vessels carrying dogs is drawn to the fact that, by permitting the landing of such dogs from their vessels without the requisite licences, they render themselves liable to legal proceedings.

4. Every application for a licence for landing a dog should be made in writing, on a form which will be supplied to bonâ fide applicants. It must be signed by the owner of the dog, or by his agent specially authorised in writing for the purpose, and should be sent to The Secretary, Board of Agri- culture, 4, Whitehall Place, London, S. W., in sufficient time to enable the Board to make full inquiries into the circumstances of the application, and the suitability of the proposed premises for the isolation of the dog, and to communicate to the owner their decision before the embarkation of the dog is to take place.

5. In order that the Board may have it on record that the conditions on which alone a licence can be issued are fully known by the owner of the dog (or the person, if other than the owner, in whose charge it is to be detained), the signature of the owner or of the proposed custodian of the dog is to be subscribed to the undertaking printed on the back of the form of application. The signature of an agent cannot, in any case, be accepted as sufficient, nuless he is prepared personally to under- take the charge of the dog during the whole period of detention.