Hong Kong dog DNA tests rise after crackdown
esmaspäev, 31. august 2026 09:39
Demand for canine genetic testing has risen in Hong Kong after authorities intensified enforcement following a series of dog attacks, while welfare groups warned of more pet abandonments, the South China Morning Post reported.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department stepped up inspections and enforcement actions across the city after the attacks. Authorities have faced public backlash for seizing and detaining suspected fighting dogs, while an advocacy group proposed a one-year buffer period for owners to declare suspected dangerous dogs.
One case involved the 33-year-old owner of a pet training facility, who was mauled by a mixed-breed fighting dog registered as a mongrel and found dead nearby shortly after the attack. Questions followed about a dog registration system that relies on self-declaration by owners, after a dog sharing genetic traits with the pit bull terrier, a banned fighting breed in Hong Kong, was listed as a mongrel on its microchip.
Clement Lai Yat-lung, founder of pet genetic testing centre Hero DNA, said his company received about 50 to 60 inquiries related to dog testing services over the past week, compared with about 10 normally. “They see that their dogs are not purebred. They become very worried that their dogs may be seized. So they come to us for help,” Lai said. He said the company reduced processing times from 30 days to 10 days despite higher testing and operational costs.
Mark Mak Chi-ho, founder of the Non-Profit Making Veterinary Services Society, said more owners were taking pets for genetic testing, boosting business at some centres but creating uncertainty for dog owners and the industry. “What I am particularly concerned about is free-ranging dogs. These dogs may not be registered yet, so their owners might simply decide [to abandon] them,” Mak said. He called for greater clarity and consultation before any regulatory changes.
Lau Chun-hoi, coordinator of the NGO Animal Welfare Advocacy Alliance, said on a radio programme that enforcement had increased pressure on owners and prompted some to abandon their pets. He said his group recorded a 50 per cent month-on-month increase in dog abandonment cases and that he had personally handled 16 cases. “Regulating fighting dogs is necessary, but the current pace is too fast and too sudden, leaving dog owners at a loss,” Lau said.
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