Guest Comments by Damon Wong

Editor's Note: The writer is a candidate in Hong Kong's District Council elections on November 6. The following comments, edited for use here, come from his campaign literature.

LAMMA ISLAND, Hong Kong – Recently, there have been cases of dog-poisoning on northern Lamma. Tainted food was dropped into the front yard of a village house in Yung Shue Long, causing the death of four dogs.

The poison can be transferred via physical contact, soil, plants and streams. Suspicions are that one dog died from touching plants laced with poison. The poison used is a powerful pesticide called paraquat, also very dangerous to people.

More than 20 dogs have died, although it's difficult to fully confirm numbers since many of the dog owners have failed to report the deaths to the police.

Lamma is a dog-friendly place, and most pet-owners are responsible individuals. Visitors even bring dogs to Lamma on weekends for hiking or swimming. Of course, some people just let their dogs roam or fail to keep them on leads when on public paths. This creates a nuisance, namely dog mess or people feeling threatened by the dogs.

The use of poison is criminal and should be investigated by the police. It also affects the dogs of responsible pet-owners, and the loss of a family pet is distressing for adults and children.

Not only is the poison also dangerous to humans, but it was placed near schools. If children touched it, they could become severely ill or die.

In the past, other dogs were poisoned on Lamma and elsewhere in Hong Kong, such as on Bowen Road in the Mid-Levels, in Tsuen Wan and in Yuen Long. The government and police should take animal abuse more seriously. Police should act to find the poisoners.

Meanwhile, public education should be arranged if people allow their dogs to foul the pavement or fail to keep them on leads. Most importantly, we must stress to the authorities the dangers of paraquat. In many countries, it is banned or at least a controlled substance. In Hong Kong, it remains freely available.

One day, we may mourn the loss not only of dogs, but also a child.

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