A 33-year-old woman was killed after being attacked by a dog at a licensed pet hotel in Ping Yeung Village, Ta Kwu Ling, Hong Kong, on Aug. 20. She suffered multiple severe lacerations and bite wounds to her head, neck and limbs.
According to Senior Superintendent Chan Kai-chak, Assistant District Commander (Operations and Crime) of the Border District, police received a report at 4:12 p.m. that day and arrived at a pet hotel and dog training center called "Pawsgate" in Ping Yeung Village. They found a 33-year-old woman, surnamed Wong, lying on a grassy area with no signs of life. The victim was the licensee and a shareholder of the pet hotel.
When she was found, Wong had multiple lacerations and animal bite marks on her head, lower jaw, neck and both arms. The injuries were mainly concentrated in the head, neck and forearms, which are vital areas. There were also puncture and laceration wounds on the back of her neck caused by teeth.
The exact cause of death will be determined following an autopsy.
Police reviewed CCTV footage from the scene and found that at around 2 p.m., Wong went alone onto the lawn to feed a mixed-breed dog. About six minutes later, she attempted to put the dog into a kennel, but the animal resisted violently and struggled intensely before suddenly attacking her.
After a fierce struggle, the woman and the dog moved out of the kennel onto the lawn. Wong eventually collapsed on the grass and stopped moving. There were six other dogs at the site at the time, but all of them were already in kennels. A preliminary investigation found no indication that Wong had engaged in any behavior that provoked the dog.
At around 3:50 p.m., Wong's 41-year-old business partner, surnamed Cheung, remotely checked the company's security cameras and saw her lying on the lawn. After repeatedly calling her without receiving a response, Cheung contacted a friend, surnamed Kwan, who drove back to the site and called police for help. Police officers and paramedics arrived and confirmed that Wong had died at the scene.
The dog involved was a one-year-four-month-old brown male mixed-breed dog. It was about 1.5 meters long, 1 meter tall and weighed approximately 30 kilograms. The dog had not been neutered but had been microchipped.
According to sources, the dog had originally been a stray kept at a car park on Lok Ma Chau Road. After the car park closed in April this year, a volunteer surnamed Lee took over its temporary care. On Aug. 11, the volunteer paid out of pocket to place the dog at the pet hotel while seeking a new owner for it. The fatal incident occurred just 10 days after the dog was admitted to the hotel.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has taken the dog away for isolation and observation. The other dogs at the site have been safely returned to their respective owners.
Wong was reportedly passionate about dogs during her lifetime. In addition to establishing her pet-care business, she actively supported disabled and elderly dogs and promoted knowledge of pet first aid. Her final social media post, published on Aug. 19, showed her spending Qixi, the Chinese Valentine's Day, with her dog.
The pet hotel was registered in April 2025 and began operating in January this year. It advertized a "10,000-plus-square-foot dog park" and a "4,500-square-foot lawn." On Aug. 21, more than 20 of Wong's relatives and friends went to the mortuary to identify her body, visibly overcome with grief.
Police said that given the seriousness of the case, it had been referred to the Border District crime investigation team for follow-up. A comprehensive investigation will examine, among other things, whether there were any violations or negligence in the operation of the pet hotel, with the aim of establishing the facts and seeking justice for the deceased.
According to available records, only three fatal dog attacks have been recorded in HK over the past 33 years. The previous two occurred in 1994 and 1996, prompting the government to amend legislation regulating dogs.
Under current law, dogs weighing 20 kilograms or more are classified as "large dogs" and must be kept on a leash no longer than two meters in public places. If a dog attacks a person without being provoked and causes serious injury or death, a magistrate may declare it a "known dangerous dog."
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