CNN
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Authorities in Hong Kong have raided a store suspected of marketing canine and cat meat as meals – greater than 70 years after the business was once outlawed.
Officers seized “suspected samples of dog or cat flesh” at a store within the Yau Ma Tei district throughout a “joint blitz operation” through town’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department on Thursday night time.
The AFCD mentioned it had performed the raid after receiving reviews that the meats have been on sale in Yau Ma Tei – a densely populated industrial and home district within the Kowloon house – and that it had organized trying out of the seized samples.
It mentioned it was once additionally investigating whether or not the store was once buying and selling contemporary meat with no license.
“Prosecution will be instituted should it be proven,” the AFCD mentioned in a observation.
Eating canine and cat meat has been prohibited in Hong Kong since 1950 below the semi-autonomous Chinese town’s rules, and the scoop has triggered each lawmakers and animal welfare advocates to name for better enforcement efforts.
Lawmaker Gary Chan in a Facebook submit described the sale of cat and canine meat as “unacceptable.”
“Hong Kong has outlawed the eating of cat and dog meat for over 70 years,” the legislator mentioned. “The incident highlights that the frequency of spot checks by law enforcement agencies has not been enough.”
The raid through the federal government businesses adopted native media reviews alleging the meats might be discovered on sale frozen for roughly $12 a catty (an area unit an identical to about 1.3 kilos) – very similar to the cost of cooked red meat.
Local rights team Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals mentioned on Friday it “strongly condemns” the promoting of canine and cat meat for meals.
It recommended the general public to right away touch the police and different related government if they believe it’s on sale.
Hong Kong’s Dogs and Cats Regulations stipulates that “no person shall slaughter any dog or cat for use as food whether for mankind or otherwise, and no person shall sell or use or permit the sale or use of the flesh of dogs and cats for food.”
Offenders are liable upon conviction to a most effective of $640 and 6 months’ imprisonment.
An estimated 30 million canines and 10 million cats globally are slaughtered each and every 12 months for human intake, in keeping with Humane Society International. Consumption of the animals in portions of Asia are fueled through unlawful business and slaughter.
