As the animal welfare movement further developed in the early part of the last century, Hong Kong embraced the concept through the formation of the organisation that was to become the Hong Kong SPCA. The core functions of this evolving organisation were to patrol, inspect, and act upon complaints of abuse and inhumane treatment of animals. Additionally, as time progressed, these rescuers were tasked with promoting citizen participation in responsible pet care and ownership. The need for an education department, vet services, an animal adoption programme, and the many other arms of the today's SPCA grew out of these then revolutionary initiatives in animal protection in Asia.

Currently, the Inspectorate department has 20 full-time employees working around the clock to make Hong Kong a safe and healthy environment for all those other creatures with whom we live. Because Hong Kong law recognizes an 'animal' as any living creature - vertebrate and invertebrate, the Inspectorate scope is broad and includes owned and abandoned pets, wild animals, farm stock, and those in markets and shops.

The inspectors wear many hats during their busy days; they respond to complaints and rescue calls, inspect the many locations where animals are housed, investigate abuse situations, work with government and policing agencies, and build prosecution cases. In addition, the inspectors are tasked with working the hotline and assisting with education initiatives and special projects.