Owner may face prosecution after dog attacks Lantau toddler
The owner of a dog that bit and injured a 14-month-old girl on Lantau Island this month may face prosecution, an official said on Wednesday.
The toddler was treated at a hospital emergency department for a wound on her head, following the attack by the husky in Mui Wo on December 8, her mother said.
The mother said the dog approached her daughter, then jumped and bit the toddler on her head while they were outside a supermarket. The husky was on a leash held by its keeper at the time.
A spokeswoman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on Wednesday the owner had been ordered to keep the husky in the house for seven days after the attack, and officers were monitoring it.
The spokeswoman said the dog was not known to be dangerous; it had no history of attacking and injuring people or other domestic animals.
“We are now looking at whether any prosecution will be taken against the dog owner,” she said. Dog owners must keep their animals under control in public areas, she said.
Under the Rabies Ordinance, the owner of a dog that bites a person can be liable for a fine of HK$10,000.
A magistrate may classify a dog as known to be dangerous if it causes injuries or deaths by attacking in the absence of provocation, or if it makes people afraid of being attacked.
