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Letters

Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words
The New Year is a time for renewal, not just for us, but for the animals who share our city and our planet. As Hong Kong prepares to welcome 2026, we face an important question: will we continue to accept animal suffering as entertainment and “tradition”, or will we choose compassion and progress?
Over the past year, there have been clear signs that change is possible. Across Asia, public pressure has exposed abuse and pushed industries to evolve – from investigations revealing violence against angora rabbits and elephants forced into performances, to broader acceptance of modern, non-animal testing methods and the rapid expansion of vegan dining. These shifts point to a simple truth: when people demand better for animals, industries respond.
Hong Kong has a role to play in this movement. Take Ocean Park, a venue that promotes itself as a conservation leader while continuing to profit from captive animal displays and from serving animals in its restaurants. Peta has repeatedly urged Ocean Park to align its practices with its stated values by ending dolphin shows and removing fish and shellfish from its menus. These steps would be consistent. Conservation loses its meaning when it excludes the animals most directly affected.
Hong Kong will welcome the Year of the Horse in February next year. Horses symbolise freedom, strength and spirit in Chinese culture. Yet in Hong Kong, real horses are forced to race at extreme speeds, whipped, drugged and pushed until their legs shatter. Honouring the Year of the Horse should prompt us to question why industries that treat living beings as expendable are defended as entertainment or “tradition”.
Animals are not objects or resources. They experience fear, stress and pleasure, form relationships and value their own lives. Recognising this shapes healthier communities and a more sustainable future. Vegan food systems reduce environmental harm, animal-free science drives innovation without victims, and ending animal-based entertainment reflects values rooted in respect rather than control.
So what can people in Hong Kong do in the new year?
Start with your plate. Going vegan spares animals immense harm and reduces environmental strain. Support restaurants and businesses that embrace animal-free choices.
Say no to animal entertainment. Refuse to buy tickets to dolphin shows, horse races or any attraction that profits from confinement and coercion. Let venues like Ocean Park know that Hong Kong expects better.
Choose cruelty-free fashion and products. Avoid fur, exotic skins and cosmetics tested on animals, and support brands that commit to ethical practices.
And finally, speak up. Progress happens when individuals raise their voices – by asking businesses to change, sharing information and supporting efforts that challenge outdated, harmful practices.
Hong Kong’s culture has always evolved – shaped by conscience, creativity and courage. In 2026, choosing kindness towards animals can be part of that story, reflecting a city that values empathy as much as tradition and progress as much as prosperity.
Jason Baker, president, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) Asia
In age of instant gratification, contentment is a lost art
“Convenient”, “quick” and “simple” – we see these words everywhere, used in advertisements and promotions to convince us to make a purchase. While looking to make one’s life easier is what drives us to advance, in the scramble for the quick hit of serotonin or the 3 per cent increase in sales, we have become intolerant of discomfort.
In our pursuit of results, we have also forgotten that the process is important. Some people are so hasty to create that they forfeit the process of creation itself and ask generative AI to do it for them. We shun struggling with the process and fixate on the results. We’ve been so obsessed with “levelling up” in life that we have forgotten to stop and smell the roses.
At the same time, we have become blind to satisfaction. Your phone camera is already capturing at megapixels so high the eye cannot see the difference; your running shoes are so optimal it only matters to athletes. Marketing pushes us to always catch up with the next big thing, sending the message that anything less than the best is not good enough. This hunger for perfection is starving us of the contentment that comes from the accomplishments we’ve made so far and the happiness we already have.
All this came to me while I was patiently waiting for my game console to boot up. It didn’t matter that it could load games at 10 times the speed and had a higher resolution; I was just satisfied that I got some cool games to play.
Joy Fan, Sha Tin


Xi sends condolences as Hong Kong’s first chief executive Tung Chee-hwa honoured in state funeral

Hong Kong’s political, business elite pay final respects to Tung Chee-hwa

Top Hong Kong officials, business leaders mourn Tung Chee-hwa – as it happened

Hong Kong leader says firms must strive to survive despite government support

Hong Kong society

Let 2026 be the year we are kinder to animals

Peta members wearing dolphin masks protest against the Ocean Park’s dolphin shows on August 20. Photo: Nora Tam

Tai Po pet rescues put Hong Kong’s compassion on show

Pets are rescued by firefighters as four buildings are still engulfed in flames at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on November 27, a day after the fire broke out. Photo: Eugene Lee


Fate of 600 goats in the balance as deadline nears to move for Hong Kong project

The owner of the 600 goats has struggled to find new land for the herd. Photo: Eugene Lee

Cheung Siu-ling has cared for her goats for more than two decades. Photo: Eugene Lee

Around 600 goats will have to be relocated or put down by the end of January 2026. Photo: Eugene Lee

A veterinary college has said it does not support “the euthanasia of healthy animals”. Photo: Eugene Lee

Opinion

Readers suggest what Hongkongers can do in the coming year to make a difference and reflect on the constant pursuit of gratification


Readers suggest what Hongkongers can do in the coming year to make a difference and reflect on the constant pursuit of gratification.


.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Readers suggest what Hongkongers can do in the coming year to make a difference and reflect on the constant pursuit of gratification

Readers suggest what Hongkongers can do in the coming year to make a difference and reflect on the constant pursuit of gratification