| Funding Scheme : |
General Research Fund |
| Project Number : |
17620724 |
| Project Title(English) : |
Responding to Animal Rescue Hoarding in Hong Kong: A Comparative and Empirical Review |
| Project Title(Chinese) : |
回應香港的動物救援囤積行為之比較與實證審查 |
| Principal Investigator(English) : |
Ms Whitfort, Amanda Sarah |
| Principal Investigator(Chinese) : |
|
| Department : |
Faculty of Law |
| Institution : |
The University of Hong Kong |
| Co - Investigator(s) : |
|
| Panel : |
Humanities, Social Sciences |
| Subject Area : |
Social and Behavioural Sciences |
| Exercise Year : |
2024 / 25 |
| Fund Approved : |
407,644 |
| Project Status : |
On-going
|
| Completion Date : |
14-9-2026 |
Abstract as per original application
(English/Chinese): |
This study will assess the serious and widespread problem of animal rescue hoarding in Hong Kong. It will investigate the root causes of the problem through interviews with shelter operators, animal rescuers and hoarders. Utilising empirical data collected in Hong Kong, the research team will explore with stakeholders the possibility of regulatory solutions to address rescue hoarding in the territory. Within Hong Kong, abandonment of pets has supported a large population of free-living animals. Data collected by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HK) supports a link between government policy, animal abandonment and rescue hoarding with a significant number of rescue hoarders and private shelters sourcing animals from the street and persons who repeatedly rescue animals to home in shelters. Between 2013 and 2019, over 500 animals had to be rescued by police from rescue hoarders and shelters. Many of these animals required euthanasia as a result of the poor welfare which had been inflicted upon them by hoarders and within shelters. In recent years, several rescue shelters have been prosecuted for large scale animal cruelty. The research team will interview stakeholders to identify the motivations for their actions and how they perceive the current problems in protection for abandoned animals can be resolved. During the review process, input will be sought from stakeholders running local shelters and animal protection NGO’s as to the suitability of possible regulations for shelter operations. Drawing on the small number of regulatory interventions which have been adopted internationally we will investigate the extent these could be moulded to fit the unique animal movement of Hong Kong. Recommendations for adapting policy to meet current social norms in Hong Kong will be made to government departments charged with protecting animal welfare in a public report at the conclusion of the investigation.
這項研究將評估香港嚴重且普遍的動物救援囤積問題。它將透過採訪收容所經營者、動物救援者和囤積者來調查問題的起因。研究團隊將利用在香港收集的實證數據，與持份者探討解決境内救援囤積問題的監管方案的可能性。大量香港的自生動物源於遺棄。香港愛護動物協會收集的數據顯示政府政策、動物遺棄和救援囤積之間的關聯，大量救援囤積者和私人收容所從街頭取得動物，亦有人一再將救援所得的動物送往收容所。 2013 年至 2019 年間，警方從救援囤積者和收容所中救出了 500 多隻動物。囤積者和收容所內的不良的動物福利情況導致許多動物需要安樂死。近年來，一些救援收容所因大規模虐待動物而被起訴。研究小組將採訪利益相關者，以確定他們的動機，以及他們認爲當前有關保護被遺棄動物的問題能如何解決。在審查過程中，我們將徵求經營本地收容所和保護動物的非政府組織的持份者的意見，以了解可能的有關收容所運作的法規的合適性。我們將借鑒國際上現行的少量監管幹預措施，研究這些幹預措施能多大程度地從塑以適應香港獨特的動物相關的運動。調查結束後，我們將在公開報告中向負責保護動物福利的政府部門提出適應政策以配合香港當前的社會規範。
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| Research Outcome |
Layman's Summary of
Completion Report: |
Not yet submitted
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