Pet Hotel Raided As Police Probe Smuggling Case

Police said they have raided a pet hotel and seized dozens of dogs and cats as they continue investigation into what officials believe is a smuggling operation of pets to the mainland.

They said two people – 29-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man – were also arrested after a raid at the pet hotel in Tuen Mun on Friday, but they were released on bail.

This comes after officers seized 12 dogs, among other things, in an anti-smuggling operation in waters south of Lantau Island last week. Later carcasses of three dogs and 12 cats washed up on the beaches in Stanley and Lamma Island earlier this week, leading to suspicion that pets are being smuggled into the mainland by boats.

A police spokesman said they had seized 22 dogs and 26 cats from Pet Oasis after the raid and the animals were being looked after by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

On its Facebook page, Pet Oasis insisted it had never taken part in any pet smuggling activity and it only provide pet accommodation and other legal services.

A Customs’ Marine Investigation Unit had said last week that one theory is that the dogs were being smuggled to be reunited with people who were in Hong Kong before and now moved to the mainland.

But in a Facebook post, the SPCA seems to indicate these are pets being transported via Hong Kong by owners on the mainland. They also appealed to anyone waiting for pets to be transported through the SAR to contact the SPCA here if the delivery is overdue.