Hong Kong eyes licensing for livestock in New Territories amid urban push

Hong Kong residents raising goats, sheep and cattle in the New Territories will need a licence under a proposed regulation which aims to reduce nuisance and hygiene problems affecting neighbours, amid the acceleration of urban development under projects such as the Northern Metropolis.

The plan was revealed in an Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department document, scheduled to be discussed at the Yuen Long District Council on Tuesday, in which the department sought to extend the licensing requirement for raising goats, sheep and cattle to the entire city.

“Currently, the New Territories accounts for over half of Hong Kong’s total population, and many areas within the region have become highly urbanised, leaving no distinct boundary with urban areas,” the department said.

“Treating the New Territories purely as a rural area without regulating animal-keeping activities is no longer appropriate.”

Under current regulations, residents must obtain a licence from the department to keep these animals in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, but this requirement does not apply in the New Territories.

“The department frequently receives complaints from the public regarding goat-keeping in the New Territories. These include nuisance caused to nearby residents during grazing, environmental hygiene issues arising from animal waste, and even suspected illegal slaughtering and sale of goat meat, posing environmental hygiene and food safety risks,” it said.

The department added that tighter regulation was also necessary in light of increasing rural-urban interaction driven by the government’s Northern Metropolis megaproject, which aims to transform 30,000 hectares (74,132 acres) of land bordering mainland China into a technology and housing hub.