Reports of traffic accidents involving animals in Hong Kong surged from 36 cases in 2021 to 416 in 2025. Advocacy groups link the increase to pet abandonments and urban development.
Data submitted to the Legislative Council on Wednesday showed the sharp rise over four years. Police reports of animal-related incidents increased more than 11-fold from 2021 to 2025.
Kent Luk Ka-chit, founder of Paws Guardian Rescue Shelter, attributed the trend to economic pressures and land development. “Land resumption for new development, particularly in the Kwu Tung area, combined with the economic downturn, has led to a rise in abandoned pets,” he said.
Luk noted his shelter now receives more than five calls daily about abandoned animals, compared with two or three before large-scale projects began. Authorities do not provide district-level breakdowns of the accident figures.