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

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.