[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Consumer Contracts” module_class=”posttitle” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
There are a number of legal obligations imposed on dog owners by the\u00a0Rabies Ordinance<\/a>\u00a0(Cap. 421<\/a>). These include a requirement that dogs five months or older must be licensed by the AFCD and vaccinated against rabies by a veterinary surgeon (sections 20<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a023<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Rabies Regulation<\/a>,\u00a0Cap. 421A<\/a>). Rabies vaccinations must then be repeated every three years on the renewal of the dog\u2019s license under\u00a0section 22(1)<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Rabies Regulation<\/a>. Keeping a dog without a licence is an offence punishable by a fine of $10,000 (Section 20(2)<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Rabies Regulation<\/a>).<\/p>\n There is also a duty to keep dogs under control. Under\u00a0section 23<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Rabies Ordinance<\/a>, all dogs of any size must be leashed or otherwise kept under control in public places (except in country parks or when swimming at sea). In the case of dogs weighing 20 kilograms or more (large dogs) it is an offence for a person to take the dog into a public place unless the dog is securely held on a leash of not more than 2m in length or is securely tied to a fixed object on a leash of not more than 1.5m in length (section 9(1)<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Dangerous Dogs Regulation<\/a>,\u00a0Cap. 167D<\/a>).<\/p>\n The dog must be tied in a manner that does not pose a danger to public safety and the safety and welfare of the dog and other animals. The requirement for leashing does not apply to a large dog which is in a country park or which is swimming at sea (section 9(2)<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Dangerous Dogs Regulation<\/a>). Failing to keep a large dog under proper control or failing to keep it tied as described above is an offence and is punishable with a fine of $25,000 or imprisonment for three months (section 9(3)<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Dangerous Dogs Regulation<\/a>).<\/p>\n If a dog bites a person, under\u00a0section 24(1)<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Rabies Ordinance,<\/a>\u00a0there is a duty on its keeper to report this to the police and to keep the dog in isolation, for such period as may be specified by the officer in charge of the police station (due to the risk of rabies). Failure to comply may result in a fine of $10,000 in accordance with\u00a0section 24(2)<\/a>\u00a0of the Ordinance. Under\u00a0section 25(1)<\/a>, the keeper may be guilty of a criminal offence and fined $10,000 if he did not do all he reasonably could to prevent the dog from biting a person. However, under\u00a0section 25(2)<\/a>, it would be a defence for the keeper to show the dog was deliberately provoked to bite by the person bitten or by someone else. A person may complain to a magistrate that a dog is dangerous and an order may be made that the dog be destroyed or must be kept under effective control under\u00a0section 5<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Dogs and Cats Ordinance<\/a>,\u00a0Cap. 167<\/a>.<\/p>\n A keeper who is negligent in controlling his dog may also be liable under civil law if it bites a human or other animal. A duty of care will only arise where the keeper knew or ought to have known the animal was likely to cause damage. Only in rare circumstances would a keeper be held accountable for something done by a tame animal, acting contrary to its ordinary nature.<\/p>\n Even in cases where he was not negligent in controlling his dog a keeper he may still be liable for a bite if he had previous knowledge the dog was likely to attack. A tendency on the part of the dog toward slight nipping or scratching would be insufficient to show such knowledge. For example, animals that nip and scratch during play or when excited have not been categorised as likely to attack.<\/p>\n There would need to be knowledge on the part of the keeper that the dog was really likely to be dangerous, before liability without negligence would arise. The best evidence of such knowledge would be that the dog had done it before.<\/p>\n For more about the possible legal liabilities a dog owner has to bear if his dog has bitten other persons or dogs, please refer to another topic \u201cNeighbourhood disputes<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n It is an offence punishable by a $5,000 fine for a person in charge of a dog not to clean up any faeces or urine the dog has deposited in a public place or the common parts of a building (section 13<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation<\/a>,\u00a0Cap. 132BK<\/a>).<\/p>\n If an Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) officer finds a dog or cat roaming, without any person having charge of it, and it appears to have been lost or to be doing damage, it may be seized and taken to the AFCD animal management centre. At the centre, it will be checked for a microchip or other identification. Where possible, the keeper will be contacted to collect the animal. A pound fee may be charged for the animal\u2019s release, equal to the cost of impounding and keeping the animal (section 2<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Pounds Ordinance<\/a>,\u00a0Cap. 168<\/a>). Animals not claimed from the AFCD within 96 hours may be assumed to be a stray or to have been abandoned by the keeper (section 22(5)<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Rabies Ordinance<\/a>). Under\u00a0section 4(2)<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Pounds Ordinance<\/a>, such an animal may be euthanized. It is a serious offence to abandon an animal, punishable with a fine of $10,000 or six months imprisonment under\u00a0section 22(1)<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Rabies Ordinance<\/a>.<\/p>\n It is not an offence to feed domestic stray animals, however leaving food around may be perceived as littering. However, under the\u00a0Schedule<\/a>\u00a0for the\u00a0Prohibition of Feeding Wild Animals Notice 1999<\/a>\u00a0(Cap. 170B<\/a>), the feeding of wild animals in country parks is prohibited for conservation reasons.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Consumer Contracts” module_class=”posttitle” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″] II. Duties of pet owners [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″] A. Vaccination and getting a licence for your dog There are a number of legal obligations imposed on dog owners by the\u00a0Rabies Ordinance\u00a0(Cap. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Adoption is a legal process by which parental rights and responsibilities over a child are transferred from the birth parents to the adoptive parents. An adoption in Hong Kong must be effected in accordance with the Adoption Ordinance , Cap. 290<\/a> , Laws of Hong Kong. The guiding principle in the adoption process is the \u201cbest interests of the child\u201d ( section 8<\/a> of the Adoption Ordinance<\/a> ).<\/p> Local adoption service in Hong Kong is provided by the Adoption Unit of the Social Welfare Department and three non-governmental organizations, as Accredited Bodies:<\/p> The statutory requirements concerning the accreditation system in respect of local adoption in the HKSAR are set out in sections 26<\/a> , 26A<\/a> and 26B<\/a> of the Adoption Ordinance<\/a> .<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26,40,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-lives-legal-issues","category-laws-relating-to-pets","category-topics"],"yoast_head":"\nB. Keeping your dog under control<\/h2>\n
C. Dogs biting people<\/h2>\n
D. Cleaning up after your dog<\/h2>\n
E. Abandonment of pets is an offence<\/h2>\n
F. Feeding stray animals<\/h2>\n