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Veronica Qi

Heat, humidity and crowded living spaces could pose challenges for Hongkongers hoping to keep large or aggressive dogs as pets, experts have said, urging potential owners to consider the needs of such animals before deciding to house them.
They issued the warning after a woman and two small canines were mauled in two separate attacks last week.
The woman was found collapsed in Ping Yeung Tsuen, hours after she was attacked at a dog training centre by a canine suspected of being a mixed-breed fighting dog. She was certified dead at the scene.
The smaller dogs were mauled to death in Yuen Long by an unleashed 60kg (132lbs) mastiff-type canine earlier that week.
Discussing the importance of correctly caring for big dogs, Lau Yun-yu, chairman of the Hong Kong Society for Pet Nutrition, said large canines, particularly those with thick coats, could face greater challenges in Hong Kong’s hot and humid climate.
“Dogs rely primarily on evaporative cooling through panting rather than sweating,” he said, adding that sustained high humidity could significantly reduce their ability to cool themselves.
Lau said heat-related risks could increase when temperatures reached about 24 to 26 degrees Celsius (75.2 to 78.8 Fahrenheit), particularly when combined with high relative humidity.
“Giant, double-coated dogs face significant thermal strain,” he noted, referring to the condition when high environmental heat exceeds the animals’ ability to cool down.

The society chairman said owners needed to be particularly vigilant during Hong Kong’s hot and humid summers.
He advised owners of large dogs to pay close attention to cooling measures, ensure access to well-ventilated and cooler spaces, provide sufficient water and schedule outdoor activities during cooler times of the day.
The experts warned that Hong Kong’s highly urbanised environment could be unsuitable for large breeds with backgrounds as working dogs, such as guarding livestock or property.
Bowie Leung, spokeswoman for the Caucasian Ovcharka & Tibetan Mastiff Club Hong Kong, said such dogs were bred for a very different purpose from modern companion canines.
“Their job was to protect the flock from wolves and bears,” she said. “These dogs need a lot of energy, and they need a lot of work to release that energy.”
Leung said that given dogs were not commonly needed for such roles in Hong Kong, prospective owners needed to consider whether they could ensure the animals had sufficient activity and space.
Lau said owners had to also ensure that their dogs received enough exercise, mental stimulation and consistent care in Hong Kong’s generally crowded living environment.
Large dogs could still adapt to living in Hong Kong despite limited living space, but this placed greater demands on owners, particularly in the city’s heat and humidity, he said.


Leung warned that some potential owners’ lack of understanding about their dogs could cause the animals’ needs to be underestimated before a decision was made to bring them home.
She said some people were attracted to large dogs because they were seen as powerful and loyal protectors.
“More than 10 or 20 years ago, breeds such as Tibetan mastiffs, Caucasian ovcharkas and Spanish mastiffs were very popular,” she said.
“Many people bought them because they were described as very big, powerful, protective and loyal.”
Such dogs were often kept as guard dogs for warehouses, farms or parking areas in rural parts of Hong Kong.
But Leung said some owners focused on the image of these dogs without fully understanding what their upkeep involved, such as failing to realise how much the animals would grow.
“Some people see them when they are puppies, and they are very cute,” she said. “But they do not think about how big they will become when they grow up, or whether they can actually control them.”
She added that when owners could no longer manage large dogs, some animals ended up being confined for long periods or losing the chance to live in a suitable environment.

Ivy Tse Yuen-yee, director of animal shelter House of Joy and Mercy, said large dogs could also face difficulties once they entered the rescue system.
She said large dogs needed more space, exercise and suitable homes, making them harder to rehome than smaller dogs. Tse noted that some canines retained their hunting instincts.
Fast movements or high-pitched sounds from smaller animals could cause dogs to give chase, although such instincts varied between individual animals and were not unique to large breeds.
Under local regulations, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) defines a large dog as one weighing 20kg or more.
Under the Dangerous Dogs Regulation, large dogs must be securely held on a leash of no more than two metres (6.6 feet) when in public places. Anyone who breaches the requirement can face a maximum fine of HK$25,000 (US$3,200) and three months in prison.
Owners who wish to allow their large dogs to exercise off-leash in public areas must pass the government-run Large Dog Exemption Examination, which assesses both the animal’s temperament and the owner’s ability to control it.
The AFCD noted that it had sought prosecutions last year in 206 cases involving dog attacks on people or animals under the relevant legislation, compared with 215 in 2024 and 258 in 2023.
According to its records, Hong Kong currently has one registered Spanish mastiff and 33 registered Tibetan mastiffs.
The department recorded no cases of mastiffs biting people or attacking animals between 2023 and 2025.


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Experts have reminded owners that big dogs can struggle in the heat, resulting in stress. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Police cordoned off the location where a woman was found dead, hours after being mauled by a dog at a pet training facility in northern Hong Kong. Photo: Edmond So

House of Joy and Mercy director Ivy Tse says large dogs need more space, exercise and suitable homes, making them harder to rehome than smaller dogs. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Bowie Leung says some people are attracted to large dogs because they are seen as powerful and loyal protectors. Photo: Handout

A golden retriever rests on the floor amid hot weather in July. Photo: Elson Li

An unleashed 60kg mastiff-type dog killed two smaller dogs in Yuen Long last week. Photo: Threads/awingchw

Police officers patrol a path near the Ping Yeung Tsuen dog training centre where a woman was killed in a dog attack last week. Photo: Jelly Tse

Police officers corner a large dog and capture it after it fatally mauled two smaller pets in separate attacks in Yuen Long last week. Photo: Threads/bao.o5

Hong Kong to review definition, rules on fighting dogs after handler mauled

Staff at the Pawsgate training centre and pet hotel transporting a dog from the facility on Friday. Photo: Jelly Tse

AFCD investigators are looking into the origins of the dog and how it ended up at the Pawsgate pet training facility at Ping Yeung Tsuen. Photo: Jelly Tse

Ta Kwu Ling resident and dog owner, Li, says he was surprised to hear about the mauling incident. Photo: Jelly Tse

Police are investigating the incident in northern Hong Kong. Photo: Edmond So

Police said they received a report on Thursday afternoon that a woman had been found collapsed. Photo: Edmond So

Matthew Chan (left) and Senior Inspector Tam Kai-hin brief the media on the case. Photo: Edmond So

Want to keep a big dog in Hong Kong? Experts share what you should know

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Concerns about responsible handling of big dogs raised after attacks last week

Concerns about responsible handling of big dogs raised after attacks last week