Hong Kong’s Environment and Ecology Bureau has ordered a review of the legal definition and breed list for “fighting dogs”, alongside a wider assessment of controls on dangerous and large dogs, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said. The review could change how higher-risk dogs are regulated, but no specific amendments have been decided.
The Government hopes to submit its proposals to the Legislative Council’s Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene for discussion within 2026. This is a target rather than a confirmed deadline.
Under the current law, the fighting-dog list includes pit bull terriers, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and Japanese Tosa, as well as crossbreeds containing any of those breeds.
The review follows reports of two recent incidents involving dog attacks. RTHK reported that a woman was found unconscious on August 20 at a licensed dog training centre and boarding facility in Ta Kwu Ling. The incident was believed to involve a dog attack, and she was later reported dead. The supplied reports do not establish whether investigators have formally confirmed that dogs caused her death.
Star Headline reported separately that a dog involved in an incident in Yuen Long in which another dog was mauled to death was said to be a Spanish Mastiff cross. It reported that the animal is currently classified as a large dog, rather than a fighting dog listed in law. The breed and classification details were not confirmed by the other supplied reports.
Tse said the Government would consider stronger penalties as well as other possible measures to improve dog owners’ compliance with the law and sense of responsibility. The review has not yet specified what penalties or other controls might be introduced.
Legislative Council member Judy Chan called for tighter regulation of animal-care centres, improvements to the dog microchip system and wider CCTV coverage at dog facilities. She said existing cameras did not cover all the footage from the Ta Kwu Ling incident. RTHK reported that the dog involved had been brought to the facility by a volunteer about a week before the incident while awaiting adoption.
Chan said centres faced staffing difficulties, particularly those that relied heavily on volunteers, and that quickly increasing staff-to-animal ratios could be difficult. She described expanding CCTV coverage as a potentially faster option and also called for more education for owners, volunteers, facility staff and the public. The Government’s next stated step is to seek a 2026 LegCo discussion, while the final definition, breed list, penalties and controls remain undecided.