The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) stated that it is now reviewing the possibility of publishing the statistics regarding violations of the Animal Protection Law, which has been in effect since September 2016.
Considering a surge in the number of cases of cruelty against animals over the past few months, lawmaker Ho Ion Sang made a written query in February, questioning the feasibility for the IAM to release the number of animal abuse cases, as well as the total number of successful prosecutions against these cases. Both of them are currently not open data for the public to review.
In a written reply, the IAM reaffirmed that it “will provide the up-to-date prosecution number against any breaches of the law in a timely manner.”
It also reassured the public that the authorities are now working closely with the Public Security Police Force in a bid to combat and prevent the relevant crimes.
The Animal Protection Law, in effect for almost five years, criminalizes any treatment of animals involving “cruel, violent or torturous” means.
Under the regulation, an abuser is subject to a maximum imprisonment of one year or a fine of up to 120 days. It ranges from slaughter, abandonment, and inciting animals to fight with other animals or humans, to selling dogs aged under three months old.
Despite its passage, some expressed discontent that only a little progress has been carried out to protect animals from any maltreatment.
In March, the Society for Abandoned Animals (SAA) denounced the authorities, who SAA claimed only targeted pet owners for minor issues under the name of Animal Protection Law, instead of catching abusers who caused physical harm to the animals.
The SAA said the government has failed to safeguard physically abused animals.
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