5 dogs suspected to have been poisoned in a series of deaths in Lok Ma Chau

Five dogs have died in a series of suspected cruelty to animals cases in Lok Ma Chau, but no arrests have been made so far.

Five dogs have died in a series of suspected cruelty to animals cases in Lok Ma Chau. Photo source: FB of Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation

Police have received four reports since February 16th regarding the discovery of five dogs suspected to have been poisoned in an open space on Liu Pok Road in Lok Ma Chau. Following preliminary investigations, the case has been classified as "cruelty to animals" and is being followed up by the Border District Crime Investigation Team. The carcasses of the five dogs have been transferred to the relevant agencies for post-mortem.

Police pulled out the dog's carcass. Photo source: FB of Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation

A dog's carcass, Photo source: FB of Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation

The animal organization "Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation" has recently published several posts on its social media, stating that volunteers found several dead dogs in Lok Ma Chau while providing supplies to stray animals, some of which were suspected to have been poisoned. The organization has reported to the police and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to handle the situation.

A dog was found dead at Lok Ma Chau. Photo source: FB of Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation

The organization also stated that volunteers have taken at least three dogs from the area for temporary shelter and appealed to the public for help in temporary care or adoption to protect the unharmed dogs.

Photo source: FB of Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation

NEW YORK (AP) — The animal rights group PETA's lawsuit over the health of French bulldogs and some other popular dog breeds has been dismissed, with a judge saying a New York law was misapplied to the case.

The suit, filed last year, marked a new front in the PETA's long-running campaign against dog breeders. The case accused the American Kennel Club of promulgating unhealthy “standards,” or ideals, for Frenchies — the nation's most prevalent dog breed, by the club's count — as well as bulldogs, Chinese shar-peis, dachshunds and pugs. The AKC, the nation's oldest purebred dog registry, rejected the claims and said it prioritizes canine health.

Club President Gina DiNardo hailed the decision Tuesday.

“We remain focused on what matters most, the preservation of purebred dogs, advocating for all dogs and the people who care for them, and supporting the right of individuals and families to choose the dog that is right for their household,” she said in a statement.

PETA, also called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said its lawyers were assessing any legal options.

“Money-grubbing dog merchants flood the market with deformed dogs bred at the AKC’s direction,” founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement. She urged people to adopt dogs from shelters instead of buying purebred pups: “No dog should be custom-made for a look that causes pain.”

The suit invoked a New York law that is generally used to challenge state and local government decisions, though it's occasionally applied to private organizations. But those have been organizations with some authority over the people suing them, such as union members bringing complaints about their leadership or co-op apartment residents suing their building's board, state Judge David B. Cohen said in a decision filed Monday.

Since PETA isn't subject to the kennel club's authority, the case “must be dismissed,” he wrote, without opining on the dog health issues at the heart of the case.

It focused on canine ailments that can be associated with flat faces — such as those of bulldogs, pugs and Frenchies — or with the short legs and long backs that dachshunds have. Shar-peis, meanwhile, may suffer spates of fever and inflammation known as “shar-pei autoinflammatory disease.”

The problems aren't universal but can be serious.

PETA had wanted the judge to order the AKC to stop using the “standards” for those breeds. The standards guide dog show judges and many breeders.

The AKC has said the standards — which fanciers develop and the kennel club reviews and circulates — reflect “decades of collaboration with veterinary experts and breeders.” The kennel club says it has given over $40 million since 1995 to its canine health research charity.

FILE - French bulldogs compete in breed group judging during the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show, May 13, 2024, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)

FILE - A Shar-Pei puppy naps in the back of a minivan in a parking lot in Kalispell, Mont., April 21, 2004. (Robin Loznak/Daily Inter Lake via AP, File)

FILE - The pug group is judged outside at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)