CNN
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Authorities in Hong Kong have raided a store suspected of promoting canine and cat meat as meals – greater than 70 years after the commerce was outlawed.
Officers seized “suspected samples of canine or cat flesh” at a store within the Yau Ma Tei district throughout a “joint blitz operation” by the town’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Division and the Meals and Environmental Hygiene Division on Thursday night.
The AFCD mentioned it had carried out the raid after receiving studies that the meats have been on sale in Yau Ma Tei – a densely populated industrial and residential district within the Kowloon space – and that it had organized testing of the seized samples.
It mentioned it was additionally investigating whether or not the store was buying and selling recent meat with out a license.
“Prosecution might be instituted ought to it’s confirmed,” the AFCD mentioned in an announcement.
Consuming canine and cat meat has been prohibited in Hong Kong since 1950 underneath the semi-autonomous Chinese language metropolis’s legal guidelines, and the information has prompted each lawmakers and animal welfare advocates to name for better enforcement efforts.
Lawmaker Gary Chan in a Fb submit described the sale of cat and canine meat as “unacceptable.”
“Hong Kong has outlawed the consuming of cat and canine meat for over 70 years,” the legislator mentioned. “The incident highlights that the frequency of spot checks by regulation enforcement companies has not been sufficient.”
The raid by the federal government companies adopted native media studies alleging the meats may very well be discovered on sale frozen for about $12 a catty (a neighborhood unit equal to about 1.3 kilos) – just like the value of cooked beef.
Native rights group Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals mentioned on Friday it “strongly condemns” the promoting of canine and cat meat for meals.
It urged the general public to right away contact the police and different related authorities if they believe it’s on sale.
Hong Kong’s Canine and Cats Rules stipulates that “no particular person shall slaughter any canine or cat to be used as meals whether or not for mankind or in any other case, and no particular person shall promote or use or allow the sale or use of the flesh of canines and cats for meals.”
Offenders are liable upon conviction to a most effective of $640 and 6 months’ imprisonment.
An estimated 30 million canines and 10 million cats globally are slaughtered annually for human consumption, based on Humane Society International. Consumption of the animals in elements of Asia are fueled by unlawful commerce and slaughter.
