A dog shelter in Hong Kong was previously fined heavily by the court with a penalty of HKD 230,000. Thanks to the donation from the kind-hearted public, the shelter can continue operating. Legislator Gary Chan has been following up the case, and suggests the Government to amend the land use. On 26 November, volunteers at the shelter submitted its application for land use amendment to the Planning Department.

The Planning Department will finish reviewing the application within two months, with a three-week consultation period starting this week.

The street dogs at the shelter are close to WDA’s heart. WDA has been following up the case closely, and is absolutely supportive of the application. The Government should review their policies on animal shelter regulation to avoid over-the-top punishments imposed on animal activists.