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 town’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Division and the Meals and Environmental Hygiene Division on Thursday night.
The AFCD stated it had carried out the raid after receiving studies that the meats had 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 stated it was additionally investigating whether or not the store was buying and selling contemporary meat with out a license.
“Prosecution might be instituted ought to it’s confirmed,” the AFCD stated 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 publish 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 stated. “The incident highlights that the frequency of spot checks by regulation enforcement businesses has not been sufficient.”
The raid by the federal government businesses adopted native media studies alleging the meats could possibly be discovered on sale frozen for about $12 a catty (a neighborhood unit equal to about 1.3 kilos) – much like the value of cooked beef.
Native rights group Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals stated 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 Canines and Cats Rules stipulates that “no individual shall slaughter any canine or cat to be used as meals whether or not for mankind or in any other case, and no individual 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 nice of $640 and 6 months’ imprisonment.
An estimated 30 million canines and 10 million cats globally are slaughtered annually for human consumption, in line with Humane Society International. Consumption of the animals in components of Asia are fueled by unlawful commerce and slaughter.
