ANIMAL rights workers and government veterinary surgeons will monitor the removal of the animals from Lai Chi Kok Zoo tomorrow. Two tigers, two lions, a monkey, a crocodile, and two giraffes, will be transported in containers to a Shenzhen zoo early in the morning. Two containers, with their roofs removed and iron bars installed, have been converted to transport the animals. They will be under sedation during the removal. The transportation exercise is expected to take three hours before the animals reach their new home in Sheli Lake Zoo, across the border. Inspectors from the RSPCA and Agriculture and Fisheries Department veterinarians have been invited to monitor the animals' conditions and accompany them to the Man Kam To border, from where they will be handed over to mainland experts. RSPCA superintendent Dennis Jones, said he was so far satisfied with the zoo's arrangements. ''We have been invited by the zoo to observe the removal. Our major task is to see if the animals are removed and treated in the correct way,'' said Mr Jones. He said he would intervene if there was mistreatment, although the RSPCA had no authority to stop the removal. But Mr Jones was confident his views would be carefully considered. ''We are trying to be fair. We are not looking for trouble. In recent months the zoo has kept in touch with us and we have had good liaison,'' said Mr Jones. An Agriculture and Fisheries Department spokesman said three officers and vets would observe the removal which would start as early as 6 am. Areas to be checked by the officers before the removal include the height of the vehicles and the strength of the cages, he said. Zoo operations manager Stephen Tsui Kwok-ming, said the remaining small animals, such as rabbits and geese would be given to the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Garden. He added the Sheli Lake Zoo had agreed to pay the transport costs.
