The Kowloon Animal Management Centre under the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) of Hong Kong relocated last year to the Animal Management and Welfare Complex in Kai Tak. The complex is equipped with more animal quarantine facilities, and coupled with the department’s measures such as optimising quarantine arrangements for cats and dogs imported from the Mainland, the waiting time for such pets to access quarantine facilities has been drastically cut.
The complex provides a full range of animal-related public services, including rabies quarantine services for imported cats and dogs. It houses 20 quarantine rooms dedicated for dogs and another 20 for cats respectively.
Mr Kwan Chun-lok, AFCD Veterinary Officer (Animal Management), stated that the dog quarantine facilities at the new complex are approximately twice the size of the former premises in To Kwa Wan, while the cat quarantine facilities are about three times larger. Additional exercise areas are also available for pet owners to accompany their dogs. The centre operates round the clock, and members of the public may visit their pets with prior appointments.
The AFCD has previously classified the Mainland into Group 3A and refined the quarantine arrangements for cats and dogs imported from the Mainland. Subject to compliance with the relevant requirements, the quarantine period for cats and dogs imported from the Mainland has been drastically shortened from 120 days to 30 days upon their arrival in Hong Kong.
The reduced quarantine period for some imported cats and dogs, together with the increased quarantine capacity at the Kai Tak complex and the commissioning of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Cat Quarantine Centre in June, has substantially shortened the waiting time for imported cats and dogs to secure quarantine facilities.
Ms Yu Hui-wai, AFCD Veterinary Officer (Visa and Certification), said that the waiting time for imported dogs to access AFCD’s quarantine facilities has dropped from about 12 to 15 months in October last year to around 3 to 6 months at present; the waiting time for imported cats has been cut from approximately 15 to 18 months to about 12 months now.
The department has proactively liaised with regions that export a large number of animals to Hong Kong to brief them on the local quarantine arrangements, and is exploring the feasibility of including these regions in Group 3A.
Besides animal quarantine facilities, the complex is furnished with 460 temporary animal accommodation units to house abandoned animals, stray cats and dogs. It also houses a veterinary laboratory and an education centre. The ground floor reception area is open to the public, offering dog vaccination and licensing services.
