Police arrest 2 in Hong Kong on suspicion of animal cruelty after birds attacked in separate incidents
- Police alerted after man seen throwing stones at egret at Tsing Yi Promenade, leaving the bird unable to fly
- Officers also see online footage of woman trying to attack and capture several pigeons in Sai Wan
Hong Kong police have arrested two people on suspicion of animal cruelty after they were spotted allegedly attacking some birds in separate incidents.
Police were alerted to a man who was seen throwing stones at an egret at Tsing Yi Promenade, leaving the bird unable to fly. Officers found the injured bird at the scene and arrested a 68-year-old man on Friday night.
The egret was handed over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for further examination and treatment.
In the other case, officers spotted online footage of an elderly woman trying to attack and capture several pigeons near Fung Mat Road in Sai Wan. A 74-year-old woman was later arrested on Friday.
Animal cruelty is punishable by up to three years’ jail and a HK$200,000 (US$25,500) fine in Hong Kong.
Police have investigated a string of animal cruelty incidents this year.
Earlier this month, officers were called in after a dead cat was found hanging from a tree with a rope around its neck in North Point.
In another case, a 57-year-old hospital assistant was arrested in June on suspicion of animal cruelty after two cats fell to their deaths from a public housing estate block. She surrendered herself to authorities and said she had forgotten to close her window after collecting clothes from a drying rack.
In May, police arrested a 66-year-old man on suspicion of animal cruelty after finding a wild pigeon with broken wings at a public housing estate in Tseung Kwan O.
Also that month, a nine-year-old Yorkshire terrier died about a week after undergoing surgery to remove 18 bone fragments from its fractured skull. The boyfriend of the pet owner’s mother was suspected to have brutally abused the dog.
