‘I Know It’s Illegal, But I Don’t Care’: Why Pet Owners Smuggle Their Pets into Hong Kong

By Nicole Li Siqi 
HKU Journalism and Media Studies Centre

HONG KONG – “Where are you? I miss you so much. It’s gotten colder recently, and I wonder if you’re feeling cold.” Qiqi wrote in a message on social media, emotionally expressing her yearning for her kitten, a beloved family pet.

On Nov. 9, 2022, Qiqi handed her baby, a 2-year-old silver gradient cat to an individual she believed would safely transport her to Hong Kong, where they were supposed to reunite. However, it was the last time Qiqi saw her kitten. She expressed her sadness on RED, a popular social media platform in mainland China, when she realized after waiting for a long time for her kitten’s arrival that she might never see her again.

 “Waiting felt like an eternity; I couldn’t focus on my work,” Qiqi wrote on RED.

But she was not alone. Hundreds of other pet owners have lost their beloved pets while the animals were being smuggled to Hong Kong, according to social media posts.

In recent years, pet smuggling has emerged as a common practice in Hong Kong, fueled partly by increasing numbers of mainlanders moving to Hong Kong. From 2017 to 2023, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department found 418 cats and dogs secretly transported into Hong Kong. Most of them were imported from mainland China, an official from the department told this reporter.  

The desire for more affordable pedigree pets and quicker reunions between pets and owners that bypass long and expensive mandatory quarantines, has also driven  pet smuggling into Hong Kong.

But this practice is not only posing serious health risks to both local wildlife and residents, but leading to fatal consequences for pets, as well as heartbreaks for their owners.

Chinese e-commerce  platform – where smugglers advertise their services

Taobao, a Chinese internet commerce platform, has become a hub for pet smugglers who openly offer their services. Searches for ‘cross-border transport’ revealed over 100 “stores,” with the advertised prices for smuggling a pet across the border ranging from 100 yuan to 1,000 yuan, but that is only a deposit. The full rate is between 1,500 yuan to 5,000 yuan (US$200 – US$690). 

Once a customer asks about their services, they would tell him/her to switch to the social media platform WeChat for further discussion. They cautiously avoid  raising suspicion of illegality by avoiding discussions on the platform Taobao, which supervises  transactions and conversations.

Sierra Sun, who decided to settle in Hong Kong after graduating from college in the city, turned to Taobao to plan the transportation of her cat from mainland China. She scrutinized each store on Taobao and chose one full of good reviews. It was still operating even under the Covid-19 border restrictions. 

“There are many stores offering transportation services, but not all are trustworthy. It’s crucial to vet them meticulously,” Sun said, adding that the chosen vendor’s WeChat account had photos shared by the smuggler indicating he had transported pets to Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong. That convinced her to turn over her cat to him.

On the Chinese social media platform RED, pet sellers and smugglers also actively advertise their services and sometimes that involves helping customers purchase pets before smuggling them across the border

Matrix Li, a master’s student at the Hong Kong Performing Arts University, decided to buy a cat with his roommate to alleviate life’s stress.

“I saw many active accounts on RED with lots of positive feedback,” Li said, eventually purchasing a 3-month-old silver gradient kitten through the platform. 

“I was curious about how he would bring my kitten over,” said Li. “He told me they run a company and would handle the procedures. They did not tell me their methods, but since it solved my problem and their account had many successful cases, I agreed.”

The route

Phone calls by this reporter to several businesses that provide smuggling services revealed how the process works.

A common method for smuggling pets is by land. The popular route for smuggling is the land passage through Sha Tou Jia port, which links Shenzhen’s Yantian district with Hong Kong. 

A pet shop owner on RED with a physical store in Yantian and a legitimate business license, described the process: 

“Our driver picks up your cat from your home (in Shenzhen), crosses the border at Sha Tou Jia, and after entering Hong Kong, another driver from our Hong Kong office will deliver your cat directly to your home (in Hong Kong).”

Pet shop owners insist it’s safe to import dogs and cats, using their service.

 “I’ve been in this business for over 10 years without a single issue. You should trust me completely,” said a pet shop owner who also provided smuggling services.

Another pet shop owner in Yantian with over eight years of experience in pet cross-border transport, said: “Only physical stores with proper licensing are reliable for pet transport. “

“I guarantee it is 100% safe,” he said. “I am a pet owner myself, so I fully understand your feelings. Pets are part of our family.”

Many pet shop owners said they have partners at customs. When asked whether they meant Hong Kong or mainland customs, one simply said: “You don’t need to know about that.”

“We have someone on the inside at the border; wherever he is stationed for the day, that’s where I transport the pets through. You can rest assured,” said one owner who also runs an account on RED to provide pet cross-border transport service.

Smugglers usually ask the owners to prepare a pet carrier. The smugglers then arrange a place to meet with the owners to pick up the pet. The smugglers then place the pet in a private car and drive to the border. 

“We absolutely do not drug the pets. We only transport one pet at a time , with air conditioning. The pets are placed in the front passenger seat, not in the trunk,” said the first pet shop owner.  

Once the smugglers cross the Sha Tau Kok border, the smugglers transport the pet to their base in Chung Ying Street. From there, they arrange for a Hong Kong driver or a Gogovan service to deliver the pet to the owner’s location. 

Pet store owners said that the pets remain comfortable throughout the entire process.

However, the situation may not be as safe as the merchants claim. Local media have reported about smuggling operations gone wrong.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, 12 dead cats were found in cages on Lamma Power Station Beach, likely thrown overboard by smugglers.

 “During Covid-19, sea transport was the only option. I knew others who threw cats and dogs overboard to avoid customs (inspections),” the first pet shop owner revealed to this reporter.

“Kittens about 2 months old, if unvaccinated and subjected to long-distance transport, may refuse to eat or drink, or could even sicken and die,” she said. 

Many pet owners trust the smugglers that their pets would be safe.

“I don’t know if they lied to me. But I have seen many pets safely transported on their social media, so I trust them,” said Li, the master’s student.

The dilemma

 One barrier deterring some pet owners from importing their pets to Hong Kong through official channels is the lengthy quarantine period. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, the government requires all pet owners from group III countries, (including mainland China)  to quarantine their pets for four months for rabies prevention.  

Wesley Wu, who came from the mainland and currently works in Hong Kong, also chose to smuggle her cat to Hong Kong. 

“I had been struggling for a long time whether to go through the official process or this kind of (smuggling),” she said. 

But her sense of responsibility as the pet owner led her to the illegal way. 

“I was afraid that he would be in a very strange environment (in quarantine), and there would be no familiar person around him. In addition, he would be trapped in a cage and he would die,” Wu said. 

Another factor influencing the pet smuggling trade is cost. Pets in Hong Kong are significantly more expensive than in mainland China. 

After visiting pet shops in Hong Kong’s various neighborhoods, including Mong Kok, Kowloon City, Wan Chai, and Tin Hau, Li found the cheapest pedigree cats cost around 9,800 yuan (US$1,256). 

“If you want a silver gradient cat, it could cost you between 20,000 to 30,000 yuan. On RED, it’s much cheaper; I got my cat for just 3,000 yuan,” Li said.

The horrible things that happen to pets being smuggled

While some pets safely reach their destination, others and their families are not so fortunate. On the social media platform RED, many pet owners, like Qiqi, have shared their heartbreaking experiences of losing their beloved pets during smuggling. 

A user named “balemama” posted on Xiaohongshu that after she handed her 11-month-old Ragdoll cat to a smuggler, hoping to send her kitten to its new home in Prince Edward, Hong Kong, she never saw it again. 

“I never imagined the transportation process would be so dangerous,” she wrote in her post.

Another Xiaohongshu user, with the ID “defuweipaofu,” shared the loss of her two rabbits. After being sent from Shenzhen to Nansha, they “disappeared.” 

“Whoever took my rabbits, I’m willing to pay a high price to get them back. I won’t cause trouble or pursue it further,” she wrote.

Although pet owners face the risk of losing their pets, many pet shop owners offering smuggling services said that there will be no compensation if an accident happens. 

“There is no compensation for accidents, but we will not charge you for transportation,” said a pet transport company owner. 

“You can buy insurance from us. For instance, if you purchase insurance for 100 yuan, we will compensate you 1,000 yuan if bad things happen to your pet,” the first pet shop owner said. 

Solutions

In November 2023, Hong Kong Customs launched an anti-smuggling operation codenamed “Pet Guardian.” As of April 5, it has seized seven suspected illegally imported animals worth around HK$210,000 in two suspected cases.

But that is believed to have barely put a dent on the trade.

NGOs like Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have tried to discourage pet owners by revealing the terrible consequences of pet smuggling cases on their website.

But many pet owners are unconvinced.

After a five-day wait, Sun was reunited with her cat. Although she knew it was illegal, she still wanted to smuggle her cat here. She said it was worth the money and risks. 

“I felt lucky and relieved. I knew there were risks. But I still took a chance because the smugglers promised everything would be fine,” said Sun. “And I’ve recommended smuggling services to many of my friends. ‘ve tried it myself and it was successful.”

Sun said she didn’t want her friends’ cats to be locked up in quarantine.

“But I also told them that this is smuggling and illegal. They should make their own decision,” said Sun. 

Advisor: Cindy Sui