Community topics
Written by: University Line
2021-03-13 19:30
Last update date: 2021-03-13 19:30
The epidemic has separated many families between China and Hong Kong. Everyone hopes to be reunited with their families as soon as possible. The same goes for the beloved "hairy kids" who are left unattended in the Mainland, making Hong Kong owners worry about them.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) stipulates that cats and dogs from the Mainland need to apply for a permit to enter Hong Kong.
Cats and dogs must be quarantined for at least 120 days after entering the country. Coupled with the long waiting time at the quarantine facility, the long wait has deterred many owners.
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, more people have patronized the online illegal pet consignment service, and owners hope to reunite with their pets as soon as possible.
In August and November 2020, the customs and marine police took a joint anti-smuggling operation and found that a large number of cats and dogs were smuggled by businesses, some of which had chips.
When unscrupulous merchants encountered interception and investigation, they dumped dozens of animals into the sea, completely ignoring their precious lives.
Smuggling and consignment services are illegal and use the lives of pets as a risk, but they still attract many owners to patronize.
Some masters said that this is the only way out of nowhere.
Reporter｜Editor by Chen Xiaoqi｜Li Yue Photography｜Chen Xiaoqi and Li Yue
Before the epidemic, 28-year-old Hong Kong resident Sam (pseudonym) had to work in Shenzhen from Monday to Friday. He raised a cat and a dog in the Mainland for two years, and his pet is now two years old. Cat love began in mid-2020. It is only a few months old now.
At the beginning of January 2020, Sam returned to Hong Kong for the Lunar New Year and kept his dog in a pet hotel.
He originally planned to return to Shenzhen after the holiday ended. Unexpectedly, the epidemic in the Mainland was severe and he was forced to stay in Hong Kong.
It was not until mid-March that the younger brother who also worked in the Mainland returned to the Mainland from Hong Kong and brought his dog back to his home in the Mainland.
Sam originally planned to let his younger brother who planned to live in the mainland to take care of the cats and dogs, but the younger brother became pregnant in December last year and hoped to return to Hong Kong to have a baby, which disrupted the original plan.
Sam also said that he did not plan to return to the mainland for a long time. As a result, no one could take care of pets in the mainland, so he planned to ship the pets to Hong Kong.
Under the epidemic, it is no easy task to reunite with pets in the mainland.
(Photographed by Li Yue / Authorized by University Line)
Application for imported pets increased under the epidemic
According to the regulations of the Fisheries and Conservation Department, importing pets from the Mainland requires 120 days of quarantine.
However, other regions such as Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States do not need to quarantine imported pets or have a shorter time.
The Fisheries and Conservation Department explained that with reference to the World Organization for Animal Health's monitoring of animal epidemics and other related factors, the mainland is an area where rabies cases have occurred but the situation has not been effectively monitored. Therefore, cats and dogs entering from the mainland need to be quarantined for 120 days.
From February to December 2020, the AFCD received a total of 34 applications for import permits from the Mainland that met the requirements, an increase of 10 over the same period in 2019.
Of these, 15 cases have been issued with import permits, two cases have been cancelled, and the remaining 17 cases are waiting for quarantine facilities.
Regarding the additional data and information in pet smuggling cases, the reporter has inquired with the customs, but did not reply before the deadline.
Extended reading:
American male and working dog co-existed for 4 years, if his family is unemployed due to the epidemic, he would rather go to prison than return the dog
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The consignment service is highly efficient, the owner vowed: the probability of accident is lower than that of an air crash
Sam inquired with a pet consulting company. The company stated that it had no legal experience in bringing pets across borders. He suggested that Sam choose the smuggling consignment service provided by the company, which means that pets can be delivered to Hong Kong the next day.
Sam understands that related services are illegal, but the pregnant wife hopes to return to Hong Kong as soon as possible. Time is in a hurry.
He found a pet consignment company with a lot of praise on Taobao, and asked the store for details.
Sam asked the store about the delivery method. The store said that the pet will cross the border by a China-Hong Kong bus. The price will vary depending on the size of the pet. The price generally ranges from one thousand to several thousand yuan.
Because pet dogs are easily frightened, Sam worried that his pet would bark loudly when he felt a stranger outside the car window and be caught, and even offered to give him a sedative.
The store replied: "Don't give dogs this kind of food, it is not good for your health", and pointed out that "the probability of accident is lower than that of an air crash." If there is a problem, Sam will not leave. Sam is relieved.
The store even called Sam to discuss delivery details and solve problems.
Sam knows that this is illegal and it is a risk of pet’s life, but he considers that cats and dogs have been vaccinated in the Mainland since he was a child. He also plans to implant the chips for cats and dogs in accordance with Hong Kong regulations after they arrive in Hong Kong. After a round of struggle with other vaccines, in order to reunite with the pet as soon as possible, he decided to patronize the store’s consignment service.
The reporter contacted the store as a customer, pretending to need to transport a nine kilogram Shiba Inu from Shenzhen to Hong Kong. The store stated that the total cost was about HK$2,500 (including the shipping fee of RMB 1850 for the mainland section and HK$300-500 for the Hong Kong section. ).
The store pointed out that many customers patronized to reunite with their pets during the epidemic. They also said that they would transport pets by sea and land. For example, customers who trade in pets in Hong Kong used their services to transport a large number of pets by sea, and the process went very smoothly.
Thrilling during delivery
Sam transported his pets by land in two batches, costing a total of HK$4,800.
He first shipped the cats on December 31 last year to observe whether the store’s practices were reliable, and then shipped the dogs four days later, on January 3 this year.
Sam pointed out that the store will pick up the pet one day before delivery and take photos to inform the owner that the pet is in normal condition and will leave early the next morning.
After successfully passing the customs, the store will notify the owner again and ask the owner to contact the driver in Hong Kong directly, and ask the driver to send the pet to the address provided by the owner.
On the day of transporting the cat, Sam learned that the cat had successfully passed the level at 7 in the morning, but after waiting for a whole day, he still did not see the cat.
Sam and his wife were very worried. Later, he proposed to the driver to increase the freight, and finally received a cat at 9 o'clock in the evening.
Having experienced the thrilling process of transporting a pet cat, Sam didn’t want it to suffer the same torture when it came to transporting a pet dog, nor did he want to be frightened all day long, so he proposed to the mainland store to pay the freight for the Hong Kong section. However, after the pet successfully passed the customs, Sam Take it home by yourself.
The store agreed to the arrangement, and Sam picked up the dog in Prince Edward at 7 o'clock in the morning of the day the dog was shipped.
Sam waited for the cat to come to Hong Kong on the day he was worried about his safety, and complained to the mainland store.
(Photographed by Chen Xiaoqi / Authorized by University Line)
Owners worry that their pets will become sick from depression. Fishery and Conservation Department: Take measures to ensure that pets are in good condition
According to the current animal import policy, cats and dogs from the Mainland need to apply for a permit from the Fisheries and Conservation Department in advance to enter Hong Kong, and they can enter Hong Kong only if they meet the relevant provisions.
The terms include implanting chips for animals, injecting vaccines, and applying for animal health certificates.
Under normal circumstances, dogs and cats must be quarantined for at least 120 days after entering the country.
The reporter asked the AFCD about the waiting status of the quarantine facilities. The department replied that the current waiting time for the quarantine facilities is about six months starting from the successful submission of the application.
(Authorized by University Line)
Sam originally wanted to import pets through legal channels, but the long waiting time and mandatory quarantine made him discouraged.
He pointed out that dogs are very dependent on people and need their company very much.
Although the environment of the quarantine facility is good and the owner is allowed to visit, he is still worried that the pets will not have enough activity in the quarantine facility and may even become sick.
Regarding this concern, the reporter enquired with the AFCD via e-mail. The agency replied that it had not received any relevant complaints and stated that its quarantine center provides separate rooms for quarantine animals. The staff cleans and disinfects the rooms every day, and provides security and feeding. Feeding service.
The applicant shall be responsible for the expenses during the quarantine period. Pet owners can visit their pets during the office hours of the quarantine center.
The staff of the center will check the animals regularly. If any pets are found to be unwell during the quarantine period, they will generally contact the pet owner or his agent first.
If the situation is urgent, the staff of the center will contact the private veterinarian authorized by the owner to come, but the animal owner must pay the relevant private veterinary fee.
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Smuggling of pets has the opportunity to spread rabies in Hong Kong with disastrous consequences
Anna Hou described the use of smuggling methods and pet reunions as "selfish acts." From the perspective of public health and safety or the overall pet welfare in Hong Kong, pets should not be smuggled in any way.
Hou Anna, Deputy Director of Animal Welfare of the Hong Kong Association for the Protection of Animals (CA), pointed out that there are still cases of rabies in Guangdong and Shenzhen near Hong Kong in Mainland China. Therefore, smuggling of pets from the Mainland may introduce rabies and bring risks of transmission.
Rabies is a deadly infectious disease. Hong Kong has successfully controlled rabies for more than 30 years.
Anna Hou worries that once the smuggling of pets causes rabies in Hong Kong, the government may cancel existing plans to rescue stray animals, such as the “catch, neuter, and return” plan for stray cats and dogs currently being implemented by the Association.
She also pointed out that pets may be treated badly or even die during the smuggling process. Just as in the maritime pet smuggling case intercepted by the customs last year, some intermediaries abandoned animals into the sea in order to escape the customs hunt.
Ai Xie has also received pet owners’ requests for help, stating that they lost contact with pet delivery agencies during pet smuggling and transportation, or lost information after sending pets.
Anna Hou described the use of smuggling methods and pet reunions as "selfish acts." From the perspective of public health and safety or the overall pet welfare in Hong Kong, pets should not be smuggled in any way.
(Authorized by University Line)
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[This article was reprinted with authorization from the internship publication "University Line" of the School of Journalism and Communication of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The original text: Is the "illegal entry" of pets under the epidemic forced?
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