Regulation and Guidelines for Keeping Animals in Ornamental Pools
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On 4 November 2026, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan replied in writing to the Legislative Council on the issue of ornamental pools being used to keep aquatic animals. He said the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Housing Department do not keep statistics on the number of pools originally designed for ornamental purposes that are actually used to keep aquatic animals, and the government also does not maintain relevant data on pools in private properties. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has provided practical guidelines to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Housing Department and property management companies across Hong Kong, covering water quality, filtration and aeration systems and animal welfare matters. The authorities also reminded that under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, improper release causing unnecessary suffering to animals is illegal, with a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for 3 years. The current development is that the government has set out the statistical gap and the guidelines already issued.
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- 政府新聞處·新聞公報Legislative Council Question 11: Environment and Ecology Bureau Replies on Keeping Animals in Ornamental Pools
Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan replied in writing to the Legislative Council that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Housing Department do not keep statistics on the number of pools originally designed for ornamental purposes that are in practice used for keeping aquatic animals, and that the Government also does not maintain data on pools in private properties. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has provided practical guidelines to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Housing Department and property management companies across Hong Kong, covering water quality, filtration and aeration systems and animal welfare matters. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, improper release causing unnecessary suffering to animals is an offence, punishable by a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for 3 years.
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