News

While the world is still trying to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, Professor Dirk Pfeiffer, Chow Tak Fung Chair Professor of One Health at the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences (JCC) and Director of the Centre for Applied One Health Research and Policy Advice (OHRP), warned that the next pandemic could be even worse.

Three projects at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) have been granted $8.3 million in funding by the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) under the Food and Health Bureau, spotlighting our valuable contributions to fighting Covid-19. 

A research team led by a scientist who is now based at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has discovered that kangaroos, animals that have never been domesticated, can intentionally communicate with humans, challenging the notion that this behaviour is usually restricted to domesticated animals like dogs, horses or goats.

City University of Hong Kong (CityU) held a groundbreaking ceremony for its veterinary teaching farm locating in Lam Tsuen, Tai Po on 19 November. The farm will be equipped with international standard facilities enabling teaching staff and students to have relevant teaching, learning and research activities once it is completed. In addition, high-quality CityU milk and ice-cream can be expected within next year. 

The Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS) was established on 31st March 2020 in the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences at CityU, Hong Kong. The clear vision of VCS is to be Asia’s pre-eminent body advancing veterinary clinical science in response to evolving societal needs.

With the aim of easing pet owners worries on Covid-19 and help taking precaution measures for their pets, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences has produced and released a video with Professor Vanessa Barrs sharing expertise advice on this.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) pro-actively introduced a 14-day quarantine and health screening for pets belonging to people infected with the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. We understand that three pets, two dogs and one cat, have been tested for the virus so far. Veterinarians collected stool samples and swabs from the nose and mouth of these pets. One dog and the cat both tested negative and were being released back to their owners at the end of the quarantine period.

CityU's veterinary medicine experts are paying close attention to a recent case of a dog that tested weak positive for Covid-19. They respond to the relevant media enquiries as follows

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong) (“SPCA (HK)” or “the Society”) and The Hong Kong Veterinary Association (“HKVA”), the renowned animal welfare charity and Hong Kong’s largest veterinary professional body, together with veterinary experts from City University offer advice to concerned pet owners in the light of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Cultural differences in risk perception play an important role when it comes to emergence of new infectious diseases associated with the animal-human interface.