Tse calls for stronger dog owner responsibility

Environment Secretary Tse Chin-wan on Thursday said getting a dog is a solemn, lifelong commitment, urging people to think twice before taking one home and vowing that the government would push for stronger owner responsibility. His remarks come amid growing concerns over stray dogs, after a woman was fatally attacked in Yuen Long. Speaking on a radio programme, he said there needs to be stronger penalties and deterrence for owners, along with more public education. "The root cause of stray dogs is abandonment. If we can cut off the problem at its source, and keep working hard to catch stray dogs, the problem can be eliminated," he said. Separately at a Legco meeting, Security Secretary Chris Tang said new CCTVs added near the scene of the Yuen Long attack would help authorities see whether dogs are present and where they gather, making it easier for officers from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to act. He added the system has thermal detection, so even at night, when dogs can't be seen with the naked eye, it could still detect their presence. Edited by Tony Sabine