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Hazel Parry

Three shopping malls in the city have come under fire from animal lovers after they used live goats as part of Lunar New Year promotional events.
Thousands of complaints were posted online while the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) labelled the stunts as "inappropriate".
Two goats were used in a ceremony at Times Square, Causeway Bay, on Monday morning, while the APM mall in Kowloon Bay is believed to have offered customers the chance to feed a goat in return for a donation to charity on Sunday. The SPCA also received reports that a shopping mall in Yuen Long had used a goat in an event.

Photographs circulating online show the goat at APM dressed in a traditional red New Year jacket and contained within a fake paddock with fake turf.
According to comments accompanying the photograph, Sun Hung Kai Properties' APM told shoppers that the money raised would go to the international humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which delivers emergency medical aid in areas of disaster and conflict.
However, animal lovers slammed the stunt as thoughtless and cruel, while MSF distanced itself from the fundraiser, saying it wants nothing to do with the money collected.
A Facebook post showing photographs of the APM goat surrounded by a fence and onlookers has been shared hundreds of times and attracted thousands of comments. Many said that putting an animal on show in a noisy shopping mall or city street is "horrible" and "sick".
MSF said the organisation had known nothing about a fundraiser encouraging people to donate to MSF by feeding a goat until it began receiving calls of complaints from the public.
"We were not informed beforehand that MSF would be the beneficiary organisation," said a MSF spokeswoman.
Rebecca Ngan of the SPCA said officers had visited Times Square, APM and the shopping centre in Yuen Long after receiving a number of complaints about the goats.
However, the events featuring the goats had finished when officers arrived.
"We were assured the goats were looked after by dedicated staff and water was provided. The goats were only taken on stage for a few minutes," she said.
"SPCA reminds shopping malls that goats are animals that can be frightened easily.
"Engaging any animals, especially the under-socialised ones, in similar activities is never recommended in animal welfare terms," Ngan added.
A spokeswoman for APM said they had jointly organised the promotion with an experienced farm in Hong Kong and that the animals involved were taken care of by animal caretakers and given food and water.
She added that APM had planned to raise funds for MSF during the New Year activities following a previous arrangement over Christmas but due to "internal miscommunication" had not gained prior consent from the organisation for the event.
"For this, we would like to offer our sincere apologies to MSF," she said.

 


You're kidding: live goat in Hong Kong shopping centre stunt infuriates animal lovers

The goat dressed in a traditional red New Year jacket, and contained within a fake paddock with false turf. Photo: SCMP Pictures

This photo of the goats has gone viral. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Donations were reportedly collected on behalf of MSF. Photo: SCMP Pictures

News

Hong Kong

Online furore as New Year promotion branded 'inappropriate' by SPCA


A shopping mall which reportedly used goats as part of a Lunar New Year promotion to attract customers has come under fire from animal lovers.
