Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Dominic Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):
Question:
It is learnt that in recent years, many Hong Kong people travel to and from the Mainland with their pets. There are views suggesting that although the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has shortened the quarantine period for cats and dogs upon their arrival in Hong Kong from the previous 120 days to 30 days since June 3 last year, the procedures remain cumbersome with a relatively long waiting time. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will further enhance the current procedures for applying for a Special/Import Permit for animals, for example, by streamlining the application process and introducing an electronic payment function, so as to shorten the time for vetting and approval; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) whether it has compiled any statistics on the respective numbers of applications and approvals for Import Permits required for Hong Kong people to bring cats and dogs back to Hong Kong after travelling to the Mainland with them in each of the past five years and the average number of days taken for vetting and approval; and
(3) whether AFCD has any plans to introduce targeted measures, such as setting up a “fast-track quarantine channel for the entry of pets brought by Hong Kong people” at designated boundary control points, so as to facilitate the quarantine procedures for pets brought back to Hong Kong by Hong Kong people after travelling to the Mainland with them; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Rabies is a contagious disease that causes fatality to mammals (including humans) and no specific treatment is available at present, patients generally die once clinical signs appear, and nearly 60 000 people die of rabies globally every year. To protect public health, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) regulates the import of live animals under the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Regulations (Cap. 139A) and the Rabies Regulation (Cap. 421A). Under effective control measures, Hong Kong has long been widely recognised as a rabies-free place by other places.
The reply to the question from the Hon Dominic Lee is as follows:
(1) To import dogs and cats from the Mainland into Hong Kong, an Import Permit must be applied from the AFCD, and the animals must undergo quarantine upon arrival. Applicants may submit their permit applications online, by email, by post or in person, and may choose to apply to either the AFCD or the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for the use of quarantine facilities. From June 2025, the AFCD has enhanced quarantine arrangements for dogs and cats imported from the Mainland, significantly reducing the quarantine period from 120 days to 30 days. The AFCD and the SPCA have also increased the number of quarantine facilities for dogs and cats to reduce waiting times.
Once the AFCD has verified the required application documents and confirmed the applicant has reserved quarantine facilities, an Import Permit will be issued within five working days free of charge. Quarantine fees are payable only after the dogs and cats have arrived in Hong Kong from the Mainland, and can be settled via Faster Payment System (FPS) and other electronic payment methods, by cheque or in cash.
(2) The number of Import Permits issued for dogs and cats imported into Hong Kong from the Mainland over the past five years is set out at Annex. The AFCD does not maintain the breakdown of Hong Kong residents who applied for Import Permit to Hong Kong after bringing dogs and cats to the Mainland.
(3) As dogs and cats may come into contact with animals infected with rabies whilst staying in the Mainland or overseas places, they must be imported in accordance with the quarantine requirements specified for the risk level of that region upon return to Hong Kong. As the incubation period for rabies can last up to several months, to ensure public health and safety, it is not appropriate to replace quarantine with “fast-track quarantine”. The AFCD will continue to liaise with the Mainland authorities and, taking into account actual operational situations, risk assessment and stakeholder opinion, timely review whether the quarantine arrangements for imported cats and dogs could be further optimised.