Move to reduce five-year wait for veterinary surgeon complaints
More veterinary surgeons in the city, and increased awareness about animal welfare, add up to a lengthy backlog for dissatisfied pet owners
A dramatic rise in the number of Hong Kong veterinarians has pushed the time it takes to resolve a complaint against the profession to about five years.
The number of registered vets has grown from 150 to 720 since the 1997 handover, with the number of complaints each year rising from eight in 1998 to about 50 in recent times.
The Veterinary Surgeons Board of Hong Kong, which disciplines surgeons in cases of misconduct, is struggling to reduce the backlog.
"There has been rising awareness of the importance of animal welfare and higher community expectations about the standard of veterinary service in Hong Kong," a Food and Health Bureau spokesman said.
"In tandem with the wider availability and utilisation of veterinary services in the territory, the number of complaints received [by the VSB] has risen markedly in recent years."
To tackle the chronic delay, the government announced proposals yesterday to amend the Veterinary Surgeons Registration Bill that would enlarge the board and streamline the complaints process. The plans will be put before the Legislative Council on Wednesday.
The board is seeking to increase the number of its members from 10 to 19, including six to be elected by the profession.
