The carcasses of two cats and a dog in cages have been found on Sham Wat beach, the latest in series of occurrences across the city.

A plastic cage containing two cats and another holding a dog were discovered on the beach in Lantau’s remote north-west, local media have reported.

Lantau police called SPCA staff to the scene and are treating the case as animal cruelty. None of the animals had microchips.

It follows several incidents in August involving the apparent smuggling of domestic animals out Hong Kong.

Customs and marine police intercepted smugglers off Mui Wo carrying a huge haul, including 12 microchipped dogs in cages on August 21.

Several days later a cage holding three dogs was found on the beach at Stanley,. The following day the bodies of 12 cats in two cages were washed ashore on Lamma Island.

The pets were most likely tossed overboard as the smugglers were pursued by customs and marine police.

One theory is that they were owned by mainlanders stranded in Hong Kong by the pandemic who were trying to send them home.

Photo: Sham Wat Bay

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