Dear Flora,

Your requested information is as follow:
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) handles stray
and abandoned animals in accordance with the relevant legislation in Hong
Kong, including the Pounds Ordinance (Cap. 168) and the Rabies Ordinance
(Cap. 421).  Stray animals caught will be put in the Animal Management
Centres (AMCs) of this Department for observation.  For dogs with a
microchip implanted, the AMCs will try to locate their owners based on the
information on their records.  In general, these animals will stay in the
centres temporarily for about 10 to 20 days.  For those without a
microchip, the AMCs will keep them for at least 4 days in case they are
indeed owned, allowing time for their owners to reclaim them.  In cases
where the animals being left unclaimed are in good health and assessed by
a veterinary surgeon as having a gentle temperament and suitable for
adoption, the AMCs will arrange for their transfer to Animal Welfare
Organisations for adoption by members of the public.  Only animals that
remain unclaimed and not suitable for adoption at the end of the process
will be euthanised.
Please find below the general guidelines of animal euthanasia conducted by
AFCD:
1.        Animal euthanasia is a method that causes painless death to an
animal.
2.        Many stray and abandoned animals are handled by Animal
Management Operations Division (AMOD) of AFCD and animal euthanasia is
regarded as a last resort in terms of animal management.
3.        Dog and cat are by far the most common species of animal handled
by AMOD.  These guidelines focus on euthanasia of dogs and cats in Animal
Management Centres (AMCs).
4.        Before euthanasia is performed, all efforts must be made to
reunite a lost animal with its owner as soon as possible.  Microchip
identification is the most effective and reliable way to reunite lost dogs
and cats with their owners.
5.        At present, AMOD collaborates with approved animal welfare
organizations in providing dog and cat re-homing service.  People who are
interested in adopting dogs and cats can make adoption arrangements
through these animal welfare organizations.  AMOD will not arrange
re-homing immediately, as it is necessary to ensure that stray dogs and
cats kept in an AMC will not be reclaimed by their owners after their
admission to the AMC.  If the dog and cat owners could not be contacted,
AMOD will examine the dogs and cats, and in parallel, assess if the health
condition and the temperament of the dogs and cats make them suitable for
re-homing.  Only dogs and cats that are not reclaimed and could not be
re-homed will be euthanised.
6.        At present, AFCD uses injection of general anaesthetics to
euthanise animals.  The parts of the animal's body where the injection is
administered will be determined by the veterinary officer in light of the
circumstances. Injection is normally performed in the muscle (thigh or
buttocks) first and then in the heart.
Under certain circumstances, dog and cat euthanasia is also carried out
for disease prevention and to alleviate the pain and suffering of dog and
cat.  In such situations, the decision to euthanise should be made by the
Veterinary Officer (VO) in charge of the relevant AMC.  Euthanasia of
animals will be performed in the presence of at least one Field Officer
and one Veterinary Officer.

The number of animals euthanised from 2018 to 2022 (up to Mar) is
attached:

Regards,
Dennis WONG
for Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation

From:        Flora <[FOI #1048 email]>
To:        "FOI requests at Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Department" <[Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department request email]>
Date:        05/04/2022 19:50
Subject:        Freedom of Information request - Animals euthanasia

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Dear Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department,

Please advise on the following matters concerning euthanasia of animals:

1. The number of animals euthanasia performed by your Department from 1
January 2018 to 31 March 2022 by month;
2. The species of animals that were euthanized by your Department from 1
January 2018 to 31 March 2022 by month; and
3. The reasons of animals euthanasia performed by your Department from 1
January 2018 to 31 March 2022 by month.

In addition,

4. Please also provide a copy of the complete guidelines and policies of
animals euthanasia adopted and circulated by your Department.

Regards,
Flora

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