Traffic accidents involving animals in Hong Kong have skyrocketed more than 11-fold over the past four years, with advocacy groups attributing it to a wave of pet abandonments and the blurring of urban-rural boundaries caused by large-scale development.

The latest data submitted to the Legislative Council on Wednesday showed reports of animal-related traffic accidents received by police surged from 36 cases in 2021 to 416 in 2025.

However, authorities do not maintain a district-level breakdown of the figures.

Kent Luk Ka-chit, the founder of Paws Guardian Rescue Shelter, said the increase in animals involved in traffic accidents stemmed from the worsening economic situation and urban growth.

“Land resumption for new development, particularly in the Kwu Tung area, combined with the economic downturn, has led to a rise in abandoned pets. This surge in the stray population has, in turn, driven up the number of traffic incidents involving animals,” he said.

Luk cited his own organisation as an example, noting that he now receives more than five calls a day about abandoned animals, a significant jump from the two or three calls typically received before the large-scale land resumption began.