我們病友會已於5月3日參與記者招待會, 現轉貼各報章的報導。
有一點需要更正的是, 英文虎報的報導有幾個錯誤之處, 其中最離譜的是引述Doris月花10,000元醫藥費, 其實我們講的是每年醫藥費用大約10,000元。特此聲明更正。
文匯報
寵物店「無王管」 團體籲設分級制
（記者 鄭佩琪）眼睛圓圓、耳朵向下摺疊的蘇格蘭「摺耳貓」近年大受歡迎，不少寵物店都有出售，其實貓兒患「軟骨發育異常」遺傳病，才會長成那「可愛」模樣。有關注動物權益團體批評，有人為圖利胡亂繁殖「摺耳貓」，將私利建築在貓兒的痛楚上，促請政府仿效日本，禁止繁殖有遺傳病動物，並盡快建立寵物業監管制度，如效法新加坡，引入寵物店分級制。
8成受訪者望加強規管
有政黨於上月以電話訪問576名市民，在152名有飼養貓或狗的受訪者中，52%表示寵物是由別人送贈或領養，37%表示寵物是購買得來，11%表示兩個途徑都試過。整體受訪者中，80%均同意政府要規管寵物來源、寵物業從業員要接受政府提供的基本訓練及要為寵物店定分級制，按店舖的環境、衛生條件分級。
關注動物權益團體「貓朋狗友」發言人陳慧敏表示，本港對寵物店沒有特別監管，只規定寵物要植入晶片，但有寵物店出售有病的動物。另一團體「動物地球」發言人張婉雯表示，不單寵物店「無王管」，亦有被稱為Hobby Breeder(興趣繁殖者)的人士自行繁殖寵物，在網上賣廣告，「寵物店都有牌照，他們就沒有。」
團體亦發現有人出售及在本地繁殖有遺傳病的貓，例如蘇格蘭「摺耳貓」，在寵物店每隻售約4,000元至1萬元。「摺耳貓」其實因為基因突變，導致軟骨發育異常，耳骨變形，才會向下摺疊，牠們身體部分軟骨亦會受影響。團體批評有人為圖利，不斷繁殖「摺耳貓」出售，胡亂繁殖亦會導致貓兒下一代的身體機能更差，令牠們受苦。
亂繁殖「摺耳貓」牟利
Doris領養了一隻「摺耳貓」，為紓緩愛貓身體痛楚，她每月花1,000多元購買藥物，她認為寵物如有遺傳病，便不應繁殖，希望政府立法禁止繁殖有遺傳病的動物，並加強規管本港寵物業。
Am730
八成市民同意加強規管寵物店
民主黨與動物權益組織「貓朋狗友」及「動物地球」，於上月中旬以電話訪問576人，發現逾八成受訪者同意加強規管寵物店，按寵物店的衛生狀況等條件訂定評級制，而所有從業員必須接受動物護理培訓；以及引入登記制度，以便政府可追查動物來源去向。避免因為寵物店缺乏監管，令動物有機會受到不人道對待。
立法會議員李華明昨日表示，香港的保障動物基本權益落後其他地區如新加坡、日本、澳洲等，如在澳洲新南威爾斯會要求寵物店保存動物籠子的清洗及消毒日期紀錄，故港府實在有必要檢討過時的政策，規管寵物店，保障動物。
團體促請港府可以效法各地，引入寵物店分級制、所有寵物店職員必須參與動物基本知識課程，以及寵物店必須登記及保存動物來源等資料等。
成報
摺耳貓有遺傳病 籲禁繁殖
(記者周肇堂報道) 蘇格蘭摺耳貓耳朵摺疊，加上圓滾滾的臉和可愛的大眼睛，令牠贏得不少愛貓人士青睞，但由於貓的基因缺憾，會令牠患上不能根治的遺傳病，長期忍受痛苦。有動物組職建議本港引入寵物店監管評級制，並要求政府立例，禁止繁殖患有遺傳病等動物。
摺耳貓病友會代表黃婉儀表示，蘇格蘭摺耳貓的祖先由於基因發生突變，使到耳朵的軟骨摺疊，但這個基因除了會令到耳軟體變形外，亦會導致出現「軟骨骨質化發育異常」，令摺耳貓病發後骨骼及關節會變形及硬化，需要每天服食藥物以延緩病情及稍為減輕痛楚，但不能根治。歐盟已列明摺耳貓有基因缺憾，不應進行配種。
受訪者贊同加強規管寵物店
黃婉儀說，「目前本港有人以私人繁殖者自居，不斷為蘇格蘭摺耳貓配種，但政府對此卻完全沒有行動，造成蘇格蘭摺耳貓不斷在港繁殖，市民不知就裡，睇到貓可愛就買。」她建議港府應全面取締這些私人繁殖者，以確保動物、主人、以及消費者的福利。
另外，民主黨與動物權益組織「貓朋狗友」及「動物地球」，在今年4月透過電話成功訪問576人，了解對寵物店監管的意見。結果發現，82.8%的受訪者同意加強規管寵物店，80.6%認為政府應引入登記制度，以便追查寵物的去向。民主黨認為政府實在有必要檢討過時的政策，並從保障動物權益的角度考慮規管寵物店，及考慮效法新加坡，引入寵物店分級制，規定所有寵物店職員必須參與政府舉辦的動物基本知識課程。
新報
八成受訪者贊成 引入寵物店分級制
【新報訊】民主黨與動物權益組織「貓朋狗友」及「動物地球」，於上月中旬以電話訪問576人，發現逾八成受訪者同意加強規管寵物店，並按寵物店的衛生狀況等條件訂定評級制，而所有從業員亦必須接受動物護理培訓，以及引入登記制度，以便政府可追查動物來源去向。避免因為寵物店缺乏監管，令動物有機會受到不人道對待。他們促請港府可以效法各地，引入寵物店分級制、所有寵物店人員必須參與動物基本知識課程，以及寵物店必須登記及保存動物來源等資料等。
明報
八成人同意規管寵物店
【明報專訊】有動物權益組織聯同政黨做調查，了解市民對寵物店監管意見。結果顯示，八成受訪市民同意加強規管寵物店，包括效法新加坡、日本等，按寵物店衛生情等，訂定評級制及引入登記制度等。
這項問卷調查由動物權益組織「貓狗朋友」、「動物地球」及民主黨舉辦，上月9 日至14 日以電話訪問576名市民。調查指有80.6%受訪者同意政府應規定所有寵物從業員接受政府舉辦的基本動物護理培訓，82.8%同意政府按寵物店衛生情況等為店舖制訂級別。
出席活動的「摺耳貓病友會」代表黃婉儀表示，儘管歐盟已列明蘇格蘭摺耳貓有基因缺陷，不應配種，因港府沒有規管，蘇格蘭摺耳貓不斷在港繁殖，貓病發會致骨骼及關節變形，貓兒需承受身體痛楚。民主黨李華明批評政府監管寵物店政策過時，團體亦促請政府效法日本，訂明患有遺傳病等動物不可作繁殖用途。
香港經濟日報
寵物店亂繁殖 組織促規管
蘇格蘭摺耳貓擁有圓滾滾的臉及可愛的小眼睛，吸引不少愛貓人士購買，但摺耳貓的可愛背後是患有不能根治的遺傳性骨骼問題，根本不宜配種繁殖。有動物組織指寵物店為牟利而不斷繁殖，要求政府加強規管，訂評級制及引入動物登記來源制度。
摺耳貓遺傳病 月花千元藥費
愛貓人士黃婉儀從友人領養兩個月大的摺耳貓「波子」（圖），黃形容波子最初不肯走路，經檢查後才得知患上「軟骨骨質化發育異常」（Osteochondrodysplasia）遺傳病。
摺耳貓的祖先因基因突變，導致耳朵摺疊，病發時身體的軟骨部分會受影響。黃表示最初醫生指波子情況很差，建議以安樂死方式送走波子，結果經針灸及服藥後好轉。
現已1歲半的波子可以跳高，但跑步則較為緩慢，每日仍須服3種止痛藥及多種營養劑，月花逾千元藥費。
立法會議員李華明與動物組織「貓朋狗友」及「動物地球」作問卷調查，逾8成受訪者同意規管寵物店，並按其生情況訂定評級制、從業員須接受培訓及引入登記制度，可以追查動物來源及去向。黃婉儀則建議政府修例，訂明患遺傳病動物不可作繁殖用途。團體近月曾研究亞太區4個地方（新加坡、日本、台灣、澳洲新南威爾斯省）的法例，發現香港的寵物業監管條例最為落後。貓朋狗友代表陳慧敏指，本港可效法外地，為所有寵物店評級。另外，亦倡禁止18歲以下人士購買貓狗。
英文虎報
Dodgy traders selling sick pets
When Doris Wong Yuen-yee bought week-and- a-half-old Scottish Fold kitten Marble for HK$500, she thought she had got a good deal.
However, within a week the clerical officer from Ma On Shan discovered her pet had a sickness, which is now eating up HK$10,000 from her kitty every month.
Marble, now a year-and-a-half old, needs daily doses of nine different medications and supplements for her osteochondritis - joint inflammation - a common genetic problem that afflicts the breed prized for its deformed ears.
Wong, bought her cat from an unlicensed hobby breeder and says cases such as hers could be avoided with better government regulation.
According to a survey of 576 people by pet concern group Happy Animals, 82.1 percent believe the government should register the paternity and maternity of bred animals, 80.6 percent think basic training should be given to pet shop employees, and 82.8 percent want pet stores to be graded.
A previous survey by the group found half of 200 respondents got their pets from pet shops and 30 percent of these pets developed ailments within the first week.
Happy Animals spokeswoman Carmen Chan Wai-man said: ``To deal with hereditary diseases in pets we need a system of accounting for pets and their genealogy, such as in Japan. It will also be a platform to prevent and deal with viral outbreaks such as canine distemper which is a highly contagious and incurable disease which attacks a dog's respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous system.''
Along with the Democratic Party, the group is calling for mandatory registration of pet breeders and stores to prevent the breeding and selling of animals with debilitating and hereditary diseases.
``The government has not paid much attention to pets even though the trade is becoming more brisk. Animal rights groups are strapped for resources to tackle this problem. However, different countries have different regulations against the breeding of animals with hereditary defects, such as in Australia,'' Democratic Party lawmaker and Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene chairman Fred Li Wah-ming said.
``There are many hobby breeders who are in it more for profit, breeding the animals in poor conditions and managing to get HK$1,000 to HK$10,000 a pet,'' he said, adding he would take the matter to the Legislative Council.
The groups are calling for the city to adopt a pet store registration scheme similar to Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority's Pet Shop Grading, which ranks stores in four tiers, based on a store's environment, management and pet healthcare, in addition to mandatory requirements.
scmp
Demand to tighten up regulations for pet shops
Lapses in Hong Kong's pet shop regulations are leading to unethical practices in the local pet trade, the Democratic Party and animal rights groups said yesterday.
Pet shop regulations in many Asia-Pacific countries far outstrip Hong Kong's lax rules, said Democratic Party lawmaker Fred Li Wah-ming. Drawing references from pet shop laws in Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and New South Wales in Australia, he said: The parameters in these regions ... protect animal rights [far more] than Hong Kong does.
The lack of regulation over breeding animals with hereditary diseases and weaknesses has led to widespread breeding of Scottish Fold cats, a favourite with local owners although they are prone to ear infections. Pet shop workers in Hong Kong are undertrained because the industry has no entrance requirements, said Carmen Chan Wai-man of Happy Animals, a rights group.
Mr Li said he would submit a description of regional practices as a reference to the Legislative Council's food safety and environmental hygiene panel, to speed up the development of pet shop regulations.
Hong Kong should set up a grading system for pet shops, where ratings of a shop's management, environment and hygiene conditions are made public, Ms Chan said. The shop review system, which is based on Singapore's model, deducts points and downgrades shops violating government regulations. In a recent survey conducted by the Democratic Party, more than 80 per cent of 576 respondents supported a shop rating system.
The government should restrict online sales of animals and hobby breeding of pets for sale, said Cheung Yuen-man, an officer of welfare group Animal Earth.
The animal rights groups called for the government to adopt other regulations, such as organising mandatory workshops for shop workers, keeping detailed records of where animals come from, and forbidding people under the age of 18 from purchasing cats or dogs.
A government spokesman said the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department's Animal Welfare Advisory Group has consistently devised animal welfare measures suitable for the city and maintained communications with the pet industry. The government is seeking legal opinions about the feasibility of regulating the source of pets in pet stores, the spokesman said.
