Give officials more power to probe suspected animal cruelty cases: watchdog

Ombudsman slams 'ineffective' system, demands home entry powers for officers and tougher penalties to combat rampant animal abuse. | Contesto: cronaca

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• Give officials more power to probe suspected animal cruelty cases: watchdog

Contesto

Hong Kong’s Office of The Ombudsman has called for sweeping legal reforms to combat animal cruelty, demanding that government conservation officers be granted the power to enter private premises to investigate suspected abuse. The stark recommendation, published in a direct investigation report on Thursday, follows a damning assessment of the city’s current enforcement regime, which the watchdog labels "ineffective" and cites statistics showing less than one per cent of reported cases lead to prosecution. The core failure, according to the ombudsman, lies in the procedural bottleneck facing the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). Under present laws, AFCD officers—the frontline staff for animal welfare complaints—lack the authority to enter a private dwelling without the occupant's consent or a warrant from a magistrate. This critical limitation, the report argues, severely hampers evidence gathering at the most crucial moment, often allowing suspected abusers to conceal or destroy proof before police can intervene to secure a warrant. This procedural paralysis has created a system where justice is statistically elusive. With prosecution rates languishing below one per cent, the vast majority of reports—which often involve graphic allegations of neglect, poisoning, or physical violence—effectively hit a dead end. The ombudsman’s investigation suggests this low bar for accountability fails victims and erodes public confidence in the authorities' commitment to animal welfare, a issue of growing concern in the city. Parallel to the call for investigatory powers, the report takes aim at what it describes as a "no deterrence" penalty regime for the widespread use of illegal animal traps. Currently, offenders face a maximum fine of HK$100,000, a sum the ombudsman argues is insufficient to curb the practice, particularly when lucrative incentives exist, such as trapping wild animals for the illicit pet trade or to protect commercial crops. The watchdog urges the government to review and substantially strengthen these penalties to create a meaningful disincentive. The twin proposals for enhanced entry powers and tougher sanctions represent the...

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Categoria: cronaca