Starting April 25, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) will regularly inspect dog licences at public places in Hong Kong where people take their dogs, including the parks recently opened as pet-friendly, to check whether the licences are valid.
During these checks, AFCD staff will give owners a written request to renew or get licences for their dogs within seven days if an invalid or lack of licence is found. Once this is done, dog owners must present the up-to-date licence at an AFCD-run Animal Management Centre (AMC). Owners who do not comply with this request may be fined up to $10,000.
In Hong Kong, once dogs are over five months old, they must be licenced, vaccinated against rabies, and microchipped. Dog licences are issued for three years and dogs must be revaccinated against rabies when their licences are revalidated.
Owners can take their dogs to an AMC or an AFCD Anti-Rabies Dog Inoculation and Licensing Centre to get them licenced and vaccinated. The owner must then make a payment of $80, after which the licence will be issued. If owners apply for a licence online, they must bring their dog to the AMC they have selected for vaccination within 14 days after they submit their application.
There are also authorised private veterinary surgeons and SPCA centres where owners can get their dogs vaccinated and microchipped. The owner will get the licence via the veterinary clinic. However, private surgeons may charge extra for their services.
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