Animal trap that snares dog on Hong Kong hillside sparks police investigation
- Officers were called in to Sheung Shui hillside soon after 7am when a mongrel was found with its left leg caught in the trap
- Police are investigating whether the trap was set up to catch wild animals; no one has been arrested yet
Police have launched a criminal investigation to track down the person who set up an animal trap that snared a dog on a Hong Kong hillside on Friday.
Members of the force and officers from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) were called in soon after 7am, when a mongrel was found with its left leg caught in the trap on a hillside near Siu Hang San Tsuen off the Lung Yeuk Tau section of Sha Tau Kok Road, in Sheung Shui.
According to the SPCA, the male adult dog was found to have a minor injury on its left hind leg.
Its spokeswoman said the animal was taken to its Wan Chai centre for treatment before being handed back to its owner.
A police source said the trap had been removed and although officers scoured the area no other such devices were found.
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Officers had not ruled out the possibility “the trap was set up to catch wild animals”, and the source said they planned to search nearby areas to see whether any more traps had been laid.
Police have classified the case as animal cruelty and officers from the Tai Po criminal investigation unit are handling. So far, no arrests have been made.
In Hong Kong, cruelty to animals carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail and a fine of up to HK$200,000 (US$25,800).
In December 2019, 18 animal traps – including cages and gin traps – were found near a village in Tai Po after one snared a puppy.
