TRAP, NEUTER, RELEASE A BETTER WAY

CITY HALL, Central District, Hong Kong – How can any government defend a policy that routinely snuffs out thousands of lives? Animal-friendly humans in Hong Kong often wonder this about their “leaders".

For years, representatives of Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) have captured stray or homeless animals, mostly dogs, often in response to complaints from people who feel threatened by furry creatures. Unless quickly reclaimed by owners or “rescued” by animal-welfare advocates, the animals are euthanized. More than 10,000 die this way each year. Sometimes the death toll exceeds 20,000.

“Every year we receive many stray-dog-nuisance complaints,” said AFCD veterinary officers during a recent public-consultation meeting at Hong Kong City Hall. “To reduce the stray-dog population and nuisance, the government uses a multi-pronged approach, like other international jurisdictions do.

“The first approach we use is through education to promote responsible pet ownership.... The second is responding to complaints. We also promote the idea of the public adopting animals. In the last few years, we've done a lot of re-homing promotion.

“Generally, the stray dogs caught are taken to our animal-management centers for observation. Our staff checks them for micro-chips. Licensed dogs have microchips that help us to contact the registered owners to pick up the dogs.

“Even if dogs have no microchips, we still keep them 4-10 days, waiting in case owners come to reclaim them. If an unclaimed dog is healthy and has a nice temperament, we may arrange to place the animal for adoption. We partner with animal-welfare organizations, who co-ordinate with us to re-home these animals.   

“However, if animals are found to be unhealthy or their temperaments don't suit for re-homing, then we'll consider euthanasia. This method is employed in other countries too and is considered a humane way to control the numbers of dogs.”

Naturally, animal-welfare groups long have advocated an end to large-scale government killing. They suggest that Hong Kong should adopt a dog-control policy of trap, neuter and return (TNR) instead. That means catching homeless canines, doing routine surgery so they no longer can reproduce and returning them to where they were found. With the birthrate curtailed, wayward dogs live out their natural lives even as their population shrinks without needless euthanasia.

Hong Kong's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and the Society for Abandoned Animals (SAA) have suggested a three-year trial to test TNR in several areas where stray dogs live. The designated areas, all distant from the urban core, are Yuen Long, Sai Kung and Lamma Island.

Eventually, there should be many fewer dogs and no complaints. “The idea is to lower the numbers of stray dogs and deal with a community problem that already exists,” said SPCA deputy director (welfare) Fiona Woodhouse. “This program is intended to help people and dogs.”

Finally, the AFCD agreed to consider the scheme. Public consultations on whether to proceed recently took place.

“We aim to continue using our multi-pronged approach to reduce the stray-dog population,” insisted the AFCD representatives. But “animal-welfare organizations have promoted TNR.... We're keen to co-ordinate with them, especially the SPCA, to try this program.”

With TNR, trapped dogs not only would undergo spaying or neutering, but also receive vaccinations, other health measures like de-worming or treatment for flees and a microchip for future identification.

Not every dog would be released again. Extra-friendly ones may go for adoption as family pets. Those deemed seriously ill or dangerously vicious still would face euthanasia.

Dogs returned to the streets or hillsides, and others not yet trapped, would be monitored and regularly fed by program volunteers. These dedicated people would learn about the personalities and conditions of the dogs, gaining their confidence and facilitating the program. As the numbers of homeless dogs dwindle, those remaining should be healthier and more relaxed.

The SPCA plans to create a 24-hour emergency hotline to help solve any problems involving TNR-program dogs. If (or when) public complaints arise in the trial areas, the volunteers, SPCA and AFCD would work together.

Proponents of TNR call it “humane” dog management. “Stray-dog populations can be reduced as public health, safety and hygiene all improve,” said SPCA community-dog-program co-ordinator Vivian Or. “The dogs' welfare will improve, and the need for killing dogs will be greatly reduced.”

TNR methods are used by the SPCA to reduce street-cat numbers. The organization expects similar success with dogs.

Apart from occasional dog-bite incidents, noise and strewn rubbish, there are other safety and hygiene issues. For example, Hong Kong has been rabies-free, but the disease remains across the border on the Chinese mainland.

Often the most aggressive dogs are mothers protecting puppies, a situation that TNR eliminates. Battles among the males for mating chances should dwindle too. De-sexed dogs typically become much calmer and gentler.

“Stray dogs have posed a problem in Hong Kong for decades,” Or said. “The methods used to solve the problem haven't changed. Many stray dogs remain so we need an effective method to reduce the numbers. However, we don't want to kill dogs, and we'd like to improve their welfare.”

Dr John Wedderburn, an animal-welfare advocate attending the consultations, said he has promoted TNR for more than 12 years. “The AFCD has carried out its catch-and-kill policy for decades and, apart from being inhumane, it obviously just doesn't work,” he said. “TNR will work.

“With catch-and-kill, there's a short-term drop in numbers, but the remaining dogs increase reproduction to fill the ecological niche,” he said.

The SPCA agrees. “Once dogs are displaced, reproduction increases or dogs from other areas move in,” Or said. “Reproduction rates for dogs are fairly fast. A mother can give birth once or twice a year, each time with six to 10 puppies. I've seen up to 14 in a litter.”

But vigorous TNR can send the numbers into permanent decline. An easy identification system, combining microchips, collars and notched ears, should prevent repeat-trapping of the same dogs.

Hong Kong's existing stray-dog policy is reactive, complaint-based, ineffective and inhumane, yet the AFCD continues catching and killing, which isn't even cheap. A director-of-audit report shows that for 2009-10, the Hong Kong government spent HK$30 million to capture, briefly keep and then kill stray animals.

Since TNR better reduces stray-dog numbers without routinely destroying healthy, non-aggressive animals, whether to proceed looks like a no-brainer. Yet Woodhouse, Or and their colleagues remain unsure how soon (or if) the government will give approval. They hope for an enlightened decision soon.

“We believe that TNR would succeed due to co-operation by AFCD, SPCA and the community,” Or said. “Together we can reduce the numbers of stray dogs in a cost-effective, humane way. Hopefully, we won't see any more puppies on the streets. We can't be 100-per-cent sure of success, but we'd like the chance to try.”

Similarly, many more Hong Kong dogs would like the chance to stay alive. Why wouldn't the Hong Kong government prefer to do less killing too?

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