20 dogs, six cats at HK breeding facility die in fire after possible air-conditioner malfunction
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Firefighters provided first aid to injured puppies and used a black cloth to cover the dead animals, HKAP said.
PHOTO: HONG KONG ANIMAL POST
SINGAPORE – Twenty dogs and six cats at an animal breeding facility in Hong Kong were killed in a fire suspected to have been caused by a malfunctioning air-conditioner.
The fire broke out at 3.50pm on Sept 17 at the facility in a village in the New Territories, according to Hong Kong-based news outlet South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Firefighters extinguished the flames at the site, SCMP reported.
No humans were injured, and 34 dogs were rescued from a nearby building.
The owners of the breeding facility were not there when the fire broke out and arrived only in the evening, said Hong Kong Animal Post (HKAP), a news outlet specialising in animal news.
The facility is located in Sheung Yau Tin Tsuen village in Yuen Long town, in the New Territories.
No humans were injured and 34 dogs were rescued from a nearby building.
PHOTO: HONG KONG ANIMAL POST
Firefighters provided first aid to injured puppies and used a black cloth to cover the dead animals, HKAP added.
Photos in HKAP’s report showed what appeared to be unconscious dachshunds in a green cage. According to the report, some areas of the breeding facility exhibited poor hygiene and sanitation conditions.
In response to queries sent by HKAP, the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said 20 dogs and six cats were found dead. SCMP reported that 20 dogs and four cats were found dead.
HKAP said the police and Hong Kong’s SPCA issued verbal warnings to the dog owners, with follow-up action to come.
Police said a preliminary investigation suggested the fire might have been caused by a short circuit in an air-con unit, said SCMP.
