No-Kill City

The SPCA in Hong Kong wants to make the territory the first "no-kill city", seeking to ban putting-down healthy animals and forcing pet owners to take the financial responsibility of finding new homes for their unwanted pets.

Some of the proposals under the "no-kill" policy are:

· Implementing a $5,000 import licence fee for an animal that has not been neutered.

· Implementing $5,000 fee every three years to keep an animal that has not been neutered.

· Banning pet shops from selling animals.

· Reducing the numbers of imported animals.

· Closing down illegal puppy farms.

· Lifting the ban on pets in public housing estates.

· Encouraging private vets to provide cheap neutering services.

· More publicity for responsible pet ownership.

· Charging people who abandon their pets.

Veterinarians at the SPCA are frustrated with having to euthanise dozens of healthy animals each day, saying the situation is intolerable. Each year, they destroy about 10,000 healthy pets, while the government puts down more than 20,000. Pet abandonment is a serious problem here.

The SPCA now provides counsellors for owners who are considering abandoning their animals. The SPCA's initial goal is to bring the "save rate" up from 6% to 12% within one year. Their model is San Francisco, which brought their save rate up to 60% in ten years.

This is a great idea. People should understand the responsibilities and consequences of bringing a pet into their homes.

If you buy a pet, it stays for life.

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