An officer from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department works in the Little Boss pet shop in Hong Kong on January 19. The government has called on pet owners to surrender their hamsters for culling amid suspicions of animal-to-human Covid-19 transmission. Photo: EPA-EFE
An officer from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department works in the Little Boss pet shop in Hong Kong on January 19. The government has called on pet owners to surrender their hamsters for culling amid suspicions of animal-to-human Covid-19 transmission. Photo: EPA-EFE
Brian Y. S. Wong
Opinion

Opinion

Brian Y. S. Wong

Hamster cull: Hong Kong government can surely focus on zero Covid and still show some heart

  • We must not forget there is a human cost to Hong Kong’s pandemic response, which can be taken seriously without compromising the quest for zero Covid
  • The pain of Hongkongers, from Covid-19 patients to restaurateurs and pet owners, should not be overlooked

Brian Y. S. Wong
Brian Y. S. Wong

Updated: 1:56pm, 18 May, 2023

Why you can trust SCMP
An officer from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department works in the Little Boss pet shop in Hong Kong on January 19. The government has called on pet owners to surrender their hamsters for culling amid suspicions of animal-to-human Covid-19 transmission. Photo: EPA-EFE
An officer from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department works in the Little Boss pet shop in Hong Kong on January 19. The government has called on pet owners to surrender their hamsters for culling amid suspicions of animal-to-human Covid-19 transmission. Photo: EPA-EFE
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