Teh head of Hong Kong’s environmental department has dismissed the possibility of implementing flexible quarantine options, such as home isolation, for pets arriving from abroad. However, he indicated that there will be ⁢an effort to extend operational hours and increase the number of checkpoints for pet transportation from mainland China.

During a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, Secretary for Habitat and Ecology Tse Chin-wan stated‍ that the current quarantine facilities‍ are adequate for handling imported animals. He emphasized that changes ⁣to these facilities would not be considered at ​this time due to concerns regarding rabies transmission.

“Allowing pets ‍to be quarantined ⁣in private homes increases their chances of interacting with other animals ⁢and peopel, which could lead to significant ‌health risks,” ‌tse explained.

“Thus, home quarantine is not a⁤ viable ⁣option‍ when it ⁣comes‌ to managing these⁢ risks effectively.”

He ⁤also noted that recent adjustments in quarantine procedures have considerably​ reduced costs for ‍pet owners coming from mainland China by⁤ 75% while ​concurrently quadrupling ‌the⁢ turnover rate at quarantine facilities.

In addition, the Kowloon Animal Management Center has enhanced its quarantine capabilities⁢ as of May, increasing its ‌capacity for cats from 21 to ‍34‍ and​ dogs from 20 to 30.