Rise in stray animals amid district developments

Animal rescue organisations on Saturday said rapid land development in Hung Shui Kiu and Kwu Tung have resulted in a significant rise in stray and abandoned dogs, creating a strain on overcrowded shelters and posing public health risks. Paws Guardian Rescue Shelter volunteer Kent Luk said that there has been an influx in animal abandonment in the past six months due to an increase in land resumption projects in the North District, noting that the shelter currently has over 300 stray dogs and 150 cats. The DAB called for government support and the implementation of long-term, large-scale animal shelters that provide more adoption, medical care, and animal welfare services to reduce the number of strays on the streets. "The running cost of a shelter in Hong Kong is so high, including the cost of land and labour costs... that is why we recommend the government to provide more financial support," said District Councillor Corey Lau. Lau spoke about the importance of balancing urban development with the need to protect animal rights. "We want to balance development with animal rights because we think that animal rights will also effect the lives of humans," he added.