Official: HK Quarantine Detector Dog Program to run smoothly

HONG KONG, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Secretary for Food and Health of Hong Kong York Chow Monday said he was confident that the Quarantine Detector Dog (QDD) program would run smoothly.

Chow went to the Operation Center of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong (AFCD) located in Ta Kwu Ling, the New Territories on Monday to learn more about the Quarantine Detector Dog (QDD) Program.

After listening to the briefing by AFCD officers and seeing the training of the quarantine detector dogs, Chow said he was confident that the program would be implemented smoothly.

"It is believed that the dogs will help strengthen the government's efforts in cracking down on illegal smuggling of live animals and meat products," he said.

Chow also reminded the public not to bring in live animals and meat products illegally, noting the approach of Lunar New Year which is the high season for traveling.

The QDD Program is jointly introduced by AFCD and the Center for Food Safety. It aims to deter illegal importation of live animals and meat products into Hong Kong.

The five dogs trained under the program will be deployed to various boundary control points in February to detect smuggling of live animals as well as animal and meat products into Hong Kong.