Animal abuse

[kiffguy]

I'm confronted with an issue and need some advice - particularly from a cultural perspective.

We live in a village house and are the only people who can see into my neighbour's roof terrace.

He keeps a dog which is not being treated very well. It has no protection against the elements, except for a flimsy plastic covering over a cage in which he is sometimes locked. He is never exercised, whimpers when he sees us and urinates and defecates on the tiles. There are no toys for him to play with either.

His coat is in bad shape.

If I call the SPCA, my neighbours will definitely know it is us. I don't mind, except I want to know - what is the done thing in Chinese culture. Should I first try and talk to the old man? Seems pretty pointless as he doesn't speak English very well at all and I can only order beer in Cantonese.

I can't bear to look at the dog any longer. Not only does my heart bleed for the animal, but it is making us feel less and less like using our outdoor space. Which is a shame.

I know I want to do something about it - question is just - what is the best way to go about it.

[apple&dog]

Call the SPCA

[hello_there]

Definitely call the SPCA. They deal with abuse calls like this frequently (very unfortunately). Depending on the inspector who handles the call you may or may not get a quick resolution...I know people who have had mixed experiences.

The folks over at Hong Kong Dog Rescue can also provide some useful advice (and perhaps a contact at the SPCA) to help if you give them a call or shoot them an email.

While there may be some cultural 'differences' regarding how people treat their animals, actual abuse just isn't okay in any circumstance. I find that people in Hong Kong, regardless of their view on keeping dogs as pets, do not believe it is okay to allow them to suffer. I've had several local colleagues ask me questions about how their neighbors are treating dogs (leaving them caged, tied on balconies outside in the summer) because they just did not know if it was right or wrong, but thought it was cruel. In one situation she went ahead and contacted the SPCA, who gave some guidance to the owner. According to my colleague the dog still lives at the home but is no longer tied to the balcony all day and night, so maybe a happy ending or maybe its tied up indoors. Either way the dog is probably better off.

I'm going to ask some of my colleagues how they would handle the situation and will update tomorrow...

[hello_there]

Okay, the consensus amongst locals in the office was that, if their neighbor was pretty clearly neglecting an animal so that it looked injured or sick (1) if they didn't know the guy they would not likely talk to him first and (2) they would call someone - some people said they would call the police (those who were not aware of animal welfare organisations) and others said the SPCA.

[lulumay]

I think your best bet is to let the authorities to handle the whole situation. The authorities can determine if the animal is abuse and/or neglected and what further actions are required. I can't see much advantage by talking to the man directly. If he knows that you can see him and see what's he's doing, do you really think the man knows he is abusing his dog. Don't get involve. Call SPCA 24-Hour Emergency Hotline: 2711 1000