Police and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department captured three more unowned mongrel dogs in Yuen Long on Wednesday, bringing the number of dogs caught in joint operations following the death of a 27 year old woman to eight.
The latest arrests took place during a five hour operation that began at 5pm and continued until 10pm. Officers and AFCD staff searched areas around Pok Wai South Road, Pok Wai West Road, Yau Pok Road and Kam Pok Road as authorities continued efforts to identify and remove dogs believed to be linked to the investigation.
The operation came three days after the woman died in what police suspect was a dog attack on September 20. Her death prompted a series of large scale searches in parts of Yuen Long, with authorities focusing on locations where unowned dogs had been reported.
Three dogs caught in latest operation
The three dogs captured on Wednesday were described as mongrels and were taken into government custody following the operation.
The AFCD said the animals would be transferred to its animal management centre, where they will be detained and observed. The department will also check the dogs for microchips.
A microchip could provide information about whether a captured dog has an owner. If a microchip is found, the AFCD said it will contact the registered owner as part of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the woman's death.
The checks are also intended to help authorities establish whether any of the animals had previously been owned, abandoned or otherwise registered.
The department did not state that all eight captured dogs were responsible for the suspected attack. Their detention allows officials to examine the animals while the investigation continues.
Eight dogs captured across joint operations
Wednesday's operation followed earlier searches in the same general area.
Previous joint operations around Pok Wai South Road, Pok Wai West Road and Kam Pok Road resulted in the capture of five mongrel dogs. Three of those animals were found to have microchips.
With the additional three dogs caught on Wednesday, authorities have now captured eight dogs through the series of operations.
The presence of microchips in three of the five dogs previously caught gives investigators a possible route to identifying their owners. The AFCD said information obtained from microchips would be used to assist the investigation.
The department has not said that the microchipped dogs were involved in the fatal incident, and the capture of a dog during the operations should not by itself be treated as proof of involvement.
Authorities continue searches in Yuen Long
The repeated operations show that police and animal control officers are continuing to work in the areas identified in connection with the investigation.
The latest search covered four roads: Pok Wai South Road, Pok Wai West Road, Yau Pok Road and Kam Pok Road. The operation lasted from the late afternoon into the evening, allowing officers and AFCD personnel to search the area for unowned dogs.
For residents, the searches also come with a warning about how to respond if they encounter dogs without owners.
The AFCD has urged members of the public to stay calm and keep a safe distance from unowned dogs. People who see such animals are advised not to approach or attempt to handle them.
Instead, members of the public should report sightings to the government through 1823, which can pass the information to the relevant authorities.
The advice is particularly important while large scale operations remain underway. Members of the public can provide information about the location of dogs without putting themselves in a position where they could be bitten or otherwise injured.
Microchips may help identify owners
Microchipping is expected to play a role in the investigation because it can connect a captured animal with registration information.
Of the five dogs caught before Wednesday's operation, three had microchips. The AFCD said it would contact the owners associated with identified animals to assist investigators.
That process could provide authorities with information about where the dogs came from and whether they had previously been under human care.
It also creates a distinction between an unowned dog found during the searches and an animal that can be linked to a registered owner. Authorities must determine those details through identification checks rather than assuming that every dog captured in the area was involved in the incident.
The investigation therefore involves both animal control and evidence gathering. Captured dogs can be held for observation while officials establish their identities and assess information relevant to the case.
Public urged to report sightings
The AFCD has asked residents to report sightings of unowned dogs instead of approaching them.
Anyone who sees a dog believed to be unowned should maintain a safe distance and contact 1823. In an emergency, the department said members of the public should contact police.
The warning follows the death of the 27 year old woman on September 20 and the subsequent operations in Yuen Long. Authorities are continuing to collect information while dogs captured during the searches remain under official detention and observation.
The three dogs caught on Wednesday bring the total number captured in the joint operations to eight. Three of the five dogs previously caught had microchips, and the AFCD is using that information to assist the investigation.
Residents who encounter unowned dogs in the affected areas should avoid approaching them, report their location through 1823, and contact police immediately if an emergency develops. Have you seen unowned dogs in your area that should be reported to authorities?