Rejecting Catch-Neuter-Release of Stray Dogs in Hong Kong

Three councils in Hong Kong have rejected proposals to trial a catch-neuter-release programme for stray dogs in their areas (report here). The rejection is apparently based on the preference for the dogs to be totally removed once caught rather than re-released. Given that this will not happen, it is a strange decision by the councils. Without the trial, the dogs will stay there anyway and will have the chance to carry on breeding. It has also been shown that neutering can decrease aggression in dogs and thereby reduce human-stray dog conflicts. As one programme co-ordinator pointed out the trial would not make the situation any worse and could improve it significantly.

Unfortunately, the animal welfare groups backing the proposal will now have to look for alternative trial areas and restart their public educations campaigns.

Learn more about the lives and issue of unowned dogs in my e-book ”A Stray View” available from Bangkok Books (readable as .pdf on any computer)