The police have implemented the Animal Watch Scheme (AWS) to foster public awareness of prevention of cruelty to animals via education, publicity, intelligence gathering and investigation and to encourage timely reports of animal cruelty cases.

With a view to raising students' awareness of animal protection, the Regional Crime Prevention Office of New Territories South (RCPO NTS) hosted a seminar for around 70 tertiary students on January 22. The seminar covered ordinances and policies concerning animals, relevant policing work as well as the collaboration between the police and various stakeholders.

After the seminar, the students took part in a group discussion with the speakers and put forward a number of suggestions for promoting animal welfare. They suggested the Force to enrich the AWS by making reference to similar schemes adopted by overseas law enforcement agencies and step up publicity work on animal protection. Meanwhile, RCPO NTS officers explained that 22 police districts had individually set up a designated team which adopts a multi-agency approach to handle animal cruelty cases in collaboration with organisations such as the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. RCPO NTS officers also pointed out that the police offered all-round training to officers to enhance their capabilities to handle such cases in a professional manner.

Through the in-depth discussion with RCPO NTS officers, the students gained a better understanding of the police's role in animal protection and relevant policing work.