The Municipal Affairs Bureau’s (IAM) Consultative Committee held a regular meeting yesterday during which IAM President José Fonseca Tavares said that the bureau will soon announce adjustments to its regulations on taking pets across the mainland-Macau border.
Tavares made the remarks in response to concerns expressed by Wong Sok Kuan, a member of the government-appointed committee, about adjustments to regulations on pets crossing the border between the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and Macau.
A recent statement by Macau Urban Renewal Limited (MUR) noted that each local resident living in the Macau New Neighbourhood (MNN) estate in the zone will be allowed to take with them one dog or one cat that has been microchipped so that they can be identified by a scanner each time when crossing the border to enter the mainland, together with each pet’s quarantine certificate and, concerning dogs, a certificate of vaccination against rabies issued by the entity responsible for animal inspection in Macau.
Wong questioned whether the residents could take their pets across the border freely, or be limited to once every six months. She also asked: “Is the pet allowed to leave the cooperation zone?”
Tavares highlighted the essential importance of pet microchipping, saying: “If the dog or cat has not been microchipped, we would not be able to confirm whether they have been registered [with the bureau] or been vaccinated,” pointing out that pet microchipping is a condition for owners to apply for their dogs and cats to cross the border with them.
While all dogs need to be microchipped in Macau anyway, cats are not required to undergo the procedure unless their owners wish to take them across the border.
Tavares said that the bureau has been in liaison with the relevant mainland authorities regarding the measures, possible adjustments to which would be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, the bureau announced its work report for September and October during the meeting, which showed that as of the end of October, the overall average actual progress of its work objectives stood at 83.13 percent.
Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) President José Fonseca Tavares hosts a regular meeting of the IAM Consultative Committee at the IAM headquarters on Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro yesterday. – Photo: Yuki Lei
