Police are investigating a spate of suspected dog poisonings on Lantau Island over the weekend, leaving seven canines dead.
The first case was reported on Saturday in Tung Chung village, while the second came to light the following day.
A spokesperson from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said inspectors were first called by police to a house on Saturday and found six of the owner’s 12 dogs — including four puppies — dead.
“One was a female adult mongrel, tan-colored. One was a silver brown-colored Yorkshire terrier and four smaller mongrels, about four to six weeks old,” the spokesperson said.
“So all these six dogs are suspected of being poisoned and police have opened a file to do an investigation into animal cruelty.
“There were four other mongrels still alive, but the owner says he’s missing a rottweiler and another mongrel.”
The following day, SPCA inspectors returned after another dog, a free-roaming mongrel, was found dead in a ditch about five minutes walk from where the first incident took place.
Another dog found in the vicinity, which showed signs of being poisoned including vomiting and dizziness, was taken for treatment.
According to Apple Daily, the owner of the six dogs found dead on Saturday, a 42-year-old surnamed Cheng, suspected a neighbor of the crime and reacted by slashing the tires of the man’s bicycle.
He was subsequently arrested for that incident. Police are continuing to investigate the suspected poisoning, the newspaper reported.
The carcasses of all the dogs were taken for a post-mortem examination, the SPCA spokesperson said, adding it was unclear at this stage what substance had killed the animals.
“We did stick some signs up in the village warning people that poisoning dogs is animal cruelty, which has a maximum fine of HK$200,000 and three year’s imprisonment,” they said.
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