Legislative Changes

The new regulations created a number of improvements:

1. All dog breeders need to be licensed to sell their dogs;
2. Legally required Code of Practice for all breeders with minimum care and welfare standards;
3. All breeding premises are subject to inspection by the AFCD;
4. Maximum penalty raised from $2,000 to $100,000;
5. Traders convicted of animal cruelty offences can have licenses revoked;
6. Traders cannot sell dogs to anyone under 16. Traders may ask for documentary proof of age;
7. Any dogs promoted for sale must be accompanied by their microchip number. This should also be displayed on the cage of dogs for sale in pet shops; and
8. The dog breeder’s license number must be displayed on any advertising.

 

The regulations created three license types:

1. Animal Trade License for pet shops
2. Breeders, whether commercial or individuals, need a Dog Breeding License A for anyone who keeps four or fewer dogs or Dog Breeding License B for anyone with five or more dogs. Any pet owner selling an individual dog requires a one-off permit that comes with a number of restrictions
3. Organisations and individuals who rehome dogs also need a license. This closes a loophole where some sellers avoided legislation by offering animals for “adoption” but requiring buyers to purchase food or make ‘donations’.

 

The new regulations mean sellers need to provide three pieces of paperwork:

1. For dogs bred in Hong Kong, you will need a yellow duplicate of the Dog breeder’s Declaration endorsed by the AFCD. This is an additional requirement under the new legislation
2. Vaccination certificate declaring the puppy has had 2 vaccinations against canine distemper, canine hepatitis, canine parvovirus and canine parainfluenza (DHPPi) from a registered veterinary surgeon
3. Receipt with dog details, including its microchip number

The seller must scan the dog in your presence. The microchip number must match all the paperwork.

 

If you are buying a dog, here are some signs that your puppy may not be in the best of health:

• Lethargy or excessive tiredness
• Watery eyes
• Sneezing / coughing
• Nasal discharge
• Excessive scratching / rubbing of ears or skin
• Dirty / inflamed ears
• Diarrhoea
• Hair loss
• Teeth loss