Owner of dog that killed two pets in Yuen Long charged over control breach

The owner of a large dog that killed two smaller pets in Yuen Long, Hong Kong, has been charged with failing to properly control the animal in public places.

The 52-year-old man, surnamed Ng, appeared at Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday, 20 August 2026, for his first hearing and was granted HK$3,000 (approximately US$383) in cash bail.

According to The Standard, Ng faces two counts of permitting a large dog to enter or remain in a public place in breach of Hong Kong’s Dangerous Dogs Regulation.

Two alleged breaches

The court heard that Ng allegedly failed to keep his male mixed-breed dog under proper control with a leash no longer than two metres on two occasions.

The first alleged breach occurred at YOHO Mall on 10 July, while the second occurred at the adjoining YOHO MIX mall on 17 August, when the dog was involved in the fatal attacks on two smaller dogs.

Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang Siu-hung approved the prosecution’s application to adjourn the case for 10 weeks. The matter will next be heard on 29 October.

Court to determine dangerous-dog status

Under Hong Kong legislation, a magistrate may classify an animal as a “known dangerous dog” if it attacks another animal without provocation and causes death or serious injury.

Registered veterinarian and lecturer Florence Tang Mei-kuen, from The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s School of Biomedical Sciences, said the dog’s reported Spanish Mastiff lineage does not by itself mean it should automatically be classified as dangerous.

Speaking on a radio programme, Tang said the court would consider the circumstances of the attacks and the animal’s overall temperament when assessing whether it posed a risk of repeating the behaviour.

She also stressed that any decision on euthanasia rests with the court.

While acknowledging the public reaction following the deaths of the two smaller dogs, Tang said the large dog was a living animal and that any decision on euthanasia should be based on an objective legal assessment rather than emotional responses.

What happened on 17 August

The charge follows two fatal attacks involving the same large dog near YOHO Mall and the adjoining YOHO MIX mall on Monday, 17 August.

According to the Hong Kong Police Force, the first attack was reported at about 3.06pm after a 17-year-old, 5kg miniature poodle was chased and mauled near a taxi rank at the YOHO Mall car park.

The poodle was taken to a nearby veterinary clinic but was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

About 18 minutes later, at approximately 3.24pm, the same dog attacked a four-year-old, 5kg bichon frise near Lolli Park at YOHO MIX, according to the South China Morning Post.

The second dog was seized by the neck and died at the scene.

Police said the large dog weighed about 60kg and was wearing a collar but had no leash or muzzle at the time.

The dog was later captured and transferred to an animal management centre operated by Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD).

The department subsequently confirmed that the animal was licensed and microchipped and said it was using the registration details to contact its owner.

The investigation and court proceedings remain ongoing, and the allegations against the owner have not been proven.