Police arrested a 42-year-old man on Friday on suspicion of cruelty to animals after an incident at a pond in Kam Ying Court Phase II, Ma On Shan. He remained in police custody for investigation when reports were published on 29 August 2026.
The case followed the discovery of abnormal water quality and a large amount of foam in the pond on the morning of Wednesday, 26 August. Laundry balls were allegedly put into the water, which contained turtles and other aquatic life. Estate security or management reported the incident to police.
Reports said one fish died and that several turtles were harmed. One account said more than 30 turtles suffered injuries including skin damage or chemical burns, while other reports described multiple turtles as burned or injured without giving a figure.
Turtle Journey, the organisation involved in the rescue and assessment, reportedly said chemicals in the laundry products had harmed the animals. The organisation also said the site was originally a water-feature facility rather than a designated turtle pond, but had become one after abandoned turtles were left there.
The pond was cleaned and turtles were removed during the response. Accounts differ on what happened afterwards: one report said the turtles were returned after the cleaning, while another said affected turtles were taken away by the rescue organisation for care.
The confirmed number and condition of the affected animals, and whether all the turtles were eventually returned, remained unclear in the reports. Police were still investigating, and it was not stated whether further charges would follow.