KE Newsletter Issue 12 (April 2017)

Warm congratulations are extended to Ms Amanda S. Whitfort of the Department of Professional Legal Education, Faculty of Law, who received the Knowledge Exchange Excellence Award 2016 for the "Review of Animal Welfare Legislation in Hong Kong". Ms Whitfort's research provided the first and, to date, only empirical study of the adequacy of animal protection legislation in Hong Kong. The study generated widespread public discussion and impetus for law reform and was used by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the HKSAR Government to introduce new legislation controlling the breeding and sale of companion animals in Hong Kong with the enactment of the Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Animal Traders) Regulations 2016.  The study also resulted in significant policy change in stray-animal management and introduction of specialised training for police and prosecutors in presenting animal cruelty cases at court. Watch the KE video on her project.

The university-level KE Excellence Award was introduced in 2015-16 to recognize the significant impact that our academic staff had made to benefit society.