Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations
[29 November 1935]
(Format changes—E.R. 3 of 2018)
These regulations may be cited as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations.
Baskets, crates and cages, other than pig crates, shall be large enough to allow free movement in all directions of every animal therein.
Bird cages shall have sliding or removable bottoms and the bottoms shall be of such construction as to prevent droppings from birds in one cage falling on to birds in another cage.
Perches in bird cages shall be so arranged that droppings from birds on higher perches do not fall on birds on lower perches and the perches to each cage shall be sufficient for all the birds in such cage to find room to roost.
Adequate shelter from sun or rain shall be provided for all animals in captivity.
Baskets, crates and cages containing animals shall be kept clean and properly ventilated.
All premises in which animals are in confinement shall be kept clean, properly lighted, ventilated, drained, and in good repair.
All animals shall have a constant and adequate supply of clear fresh water.
All maimed or ailing animals shall be separately confined.
Any basket, crate or cage in which any animal is carried or kept shall be so constructed as to prevent any such animal from being injured.
The master, owner, or agent of every vessel leaving any port of Hong Kong carrying more than 10 head of cattle for export shall provide suitable food and fresh water for all cattle carried in the said vessel sufficient for the intended voyage, and in addition shall provide— (65 of 1999 s. 3)
for voyages of less than 3 days average duration, 1 day’s extra ration for each head of cattle; or
for voyages of more than 3 days average duration, 2 days’ extra rations for each head of cattle.
He shall also cause all the cattle carried in the said vessel to be provided with a sufficient quantity of food and water in every 24 hours from the time of embarkation till the time of final disembarkation, and shall carry such number of men as shall, in the opinion of the senior veterinary officer, be requisite to attend to cattle on board. Such men shall not be employed on any other duties during the voyage.
No cattle carried on board any vessel shall be secured by the nose, but all such cattle shall be tied by a halter of a length sufficient to permit the animal to lie down, and of a strength sufficient to bear the weight of the animal.
Every vessel carrying more than 10 head of cattle shall be provided with secure footholds for the use of the cattle on board, and shall be fitted with weather boards or other protection for such cattle from sun and rain and sea, and with a sufficient number of pens. No pen shall be constructed of bamboo, and no pen shall accommodate more than 4 head of cattle (2 calves under 6 months being counted as one). The pens shall be arranged so that the cattle stand athwartships and shall be substantially constructed and securely fastened so as to stand rough weather. The pens shall be cleansed at least once a day.
The senior veterinary officer, any health officer, any health inspector and any police officer may board any vessel within the waters of Hong Kong at any time in order to ascertain whether regulations 11 to 13 are complied with.
No vessel shall be permitted to carry more than 200 head of cattle for export at any one time.
Each animal conveyed in any vessel shall, except as hereinafter provided, have not less than 3 square metres of deck-space allotted. Footholds shall be provided to prevent slipping, and the animals shall stand athwartships and shall be secured by a halter and not be tied by the nose:
Provided that in the case of cattle under 2 years of age the deck-space allotted shall be 3 square metres for every 2 such cattle.
Sheep and goats shall be carried in any vessel in substantially built pens containing not more than 40 in each pen, and 0.7 square metre shall be allowed per head.
Not more than 40 pigs in any vessel shall be placed in one pen. 0.7 square metre shall be allowed per head, 2 pigs each under 40 kilograms live weight to count as one, 3 pigs each under 20 kilograms live weight to count as one.
When carried in crates, a separate crate shall be assigned to each pig. Every such crate shall be of sufficiently large dimensions to hold the pig comfortably and shall also have a small enough mesh to prevent the pig from being injured. Crates shall be arranged in rows and, if stacked, there shall be 2 layers or tiers only. Rows, if not single, shall be 2 deep only. Crates shall be so arranged that all the pigs’ heads in a single row face the same way, and in a double row face outwards. On the side or sides of a row on which the pigs’ heads face, an alleyway shall be left, 450 millimetres wide, to allow food and water to be given. All the crates in a row which is not stacked shall be securely fastened together. In the case of a stacked row there shall be pairs of strong upright posts, which may be of a detachable type, of a height not less than the top of the upper layer or tier, securely fastened to the deck and supporting the row or stack. Such pairs of posts shall be fixed at each end of the stack and at intervals of not more than 5 crates in the stack’s length. Each pair of posts supporting a stack shall be securely fastened together. Large flat-bottomed boats shall be used for conveying pigs across the harbour.
The baskets or crates in which poultry are carried are to be supplied with mats or to be otherwise so constructed as to prevent the poultry getting their legs through.
The Director of Marine may, and, if requested to do so by the senior veterinary officer, shall, refuse to grant a port clearance for any vessel on board of which the requirements of these regulations have not been or are not being complied with.
Any person who contravenes regulations 2 to 19 shall be liable to a fine at level 5 and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine of $200 for every day during which the offence continues. (23 of 2006 s. 5)
The master of any vessel shall (in addition to the actual offender) be deemed to be guilty of any contravention of the regulations mentioned in paragraph (1) which may occur while he is on board his ship and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.