HONG KONG – The owner of a licensed pet hotel and dog training center in Hong Kong’s New Territories was killed on Thursday in a brutal attack by a one-year-old male stray dog she had been caring for.
The incident occurred at a facility on Ping Yuen Road in Ta Kwu Ling, said Chan Kai-Chak, assistant district commander of Border District, at a police press briefing on Thursday.
Closed-circuit television footage shows the 33-year-old female victim feeding a yellow mixed-breed dog, about one meter in length, before attempting to return it to its cage. The dog was reluctant to go back and suddenly bit her.
Police said the attack was believed to have continued outside the kennel area onto a grassy patch.
With severe injuries to her head, neck, and both arms, the victim was found unconscious about two hours later, at 4:12 pm. Police rushed there on receiving a report.
Ambulance personnel arrived at the scene and found the victim lying on the grassy patch, with the dog still nearby. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A preliminary examination by a forensic pathologist found multiple lacerations and bite marks on the victim’s head, neck, lower jaw and arms. The exact cause of death will be determined by an autopsy.
The victim was the sole license holder and employee of the facility in Ping Yeung village, which operates as a pet hotel and dog training center. According to police, the business obtained its license in January this year.
The attacking dog was brought to the facility on Aug 11 by a volunteer and was awaiting adoption. At the time of the incident, six other dogs were also housed in cages at the site.
Police from the Border District Criminal Unit, together with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and the Labour Department, are investigating the case. For now, the incident has been classified as a body discovery.
The dog involved in the attack will be taken away by the AFCD for further examination and observation.
Larry’s fate
The fatal attack occurred amid heightened public attention on responsibilities from dog ownership, after a 50-kg Spanish Mastiff killed two smaller dogs in Yuen Long on Monday. The dog – Larry – is currently under observation at the AFCD's animal management center.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, AFCD said Larry will not be put down for the time being.
“The AFCD will later assess the dog's health condition and temperament, and carefully consider various options to determine the appropriate arrangement,” reads the post.
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The back-to-back incidents have prompted calls for stricter enforcement of leash laws, particularly for large dogs. Under Hong Kong's Dangerous Dogs Regulation, dogs weighing 20 kilograms or more must be securely held on a leash no longer than two meters in public places, with violators facing a maximum fine of HK$25,000 and three months in prison.
