Hong Kong shop under investigation over suspected sale of cat, dog meat for food
- Media report cited WeChat account detailing shipping of meat from Kaiping in Guangdong province into city
- Neighbouring business owners of Yau Ma Tei shop unaware of suspected illegal meat products
A Hong Kong shop suspected of selling cat and dog meat for food was on Friday being investigated after authorities seized its products for tests.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) conducted a joint blitz operation with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department on Thursday, after being alerted to operations at the Yau Ma Tei shop.
“The AFCD staff seized suspected [dog or cat] flesh [sold as] food at the shop, and arranged testing. Prosecution will be instituted should it be proven,” a department spokesman said in a statement issued late on Thursday night.
Officers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department also collected evidence to investigate if the shop handled “unlicensed fresh provision”.
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According to the Dogs and Cats Regulations, no person shall slaughter any dog or cat for use as food, as well as sell or use, or permit the sale or use of the flesh of such animals for food.
Offenders face a maximum fine of HK$5,000 (US$637) and six months’ imprisonment upon conviction.
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An investigation by a local media organisation earlier found an account on mainland Chinese messaging app WeChat claiming that cat and dog meat, among other local products, could be sent directly from Kaiping city in Guangdong province to Hong Kong, and a shop on Reclamation Street sold such items.
According to the report, the shop sold cooked the meat at HK$100 per catty, and its products had been tested by a local institution to confirm they were of cat and dog origin.
A visit by a Post reporter at Friday noon found the shop closed.
The owner of a nearby store who asked to be identified by only her surname, Chan, told the Post that the meat shop had remained shut for days. She said it moved there from its previous site across the street and did not open regularly.
She said she knew the shop sold chicken but was unaware of the sale of cat and dog meat.
“I only learned about its sale of cat and dog meat from news reports [on Thursday]. I felt surprised and concerned,” she said.
Another shop operator across the street said the meat store had rarely opened over the past two months, and he only knew it sold chicken, while owners and staff of other businesses nearby said they knew nothing about the news.
The closed shop was in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the street with dozens of vendors, mostly selling vegetables, fruits and meat products.
