What the law requires

Under the Rabies Ordinance, every dog aged 5 months or over must:

  1. Be implanted with a microchip (rice-grain sized, injected under the skin at the back of the neck)
  2. Be vaccinated against rabies
  3. Hold a dog licence from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD)

All three are normally done in one visit. Keeping an unlicensed dog can be prosecuted, with a maximum fine of HK$10,000.

When

  • A puppy's first rabies vaccination is usually given at 3 to 5 months, often on the same day as the last core vaccine.
  • The licence lasts 3 years; a rabies booster is required at each renewal.
  • Dogs brought in from overseas must also be licensed after arrival.

The process

  1. Bring your dog in; we do a brief check to confirm it is fit for vaccination.
  2. Microchip implanted (a few seconds, feels like an injection) and scanned to confirm the number.
  3. Rabies vaccination.
  4. Licence application completed; we submit it to AFCD and the licence is posted to your address.
  5. Keep the vaccination card: boarding, grooming and travel all require it.

What the microchip does

It is not a GPS tracker. Any vet clinic, AFCD or the SPCA can read the number with a scanner and contact the registered owner. Update your details when you move or change phone number, or a found dog cannot be traced to you.

Common questions

  • Does an indoor dog need a licence? Yes. The law makes no distinction.
  • What about cats? No licence is required, but microchipping is strongly advised so a lost cat can be identified.
  • What does it cost? AFCD charges a licence fee; the hospital charges for the microchip, vaccine and consultation, quoted when you book.
  • Lost the licence? A replacement can be requested from AFCD; we can help with the form.

One visit, all done

Microchip, rabies vaccination, licence paperwork and other core vaccines can be completed together, same day, here in Yuen Long.