HONG KONG -- A spate of dog attacks in Hong Kong's outlying districts is fueling public concern just as authorities look to make the city more welcoming to pets.

The government has been pushing to stimulate pet-related economic activity through steps such as allowing customers to bring pet dogs into registered restaurants. None of the incidents took place inside restaurants but the recent attacks have fueled public concern just as the government seeks to make the city more pet-friendly.

At around 12:40 a.m. on Sept. 20, police received a report of a bloodied woman lying on a pavement in Yuen Long, a suburban district in the northern New Territories.

The 27-year-old local resident was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She had suffered multiple wounds believed to have been caused by animal bites, with an injury to her neck thought to have been fatal.

Security camera footage showed a woman riding a bicycle being chased by three dogs about 30 meters from where the victim was later found. The video was recorded roughly 50 minutes before the report to police.

Police believe the woman was attacked by dogs. They have been examining more than 20 dogs in the surrounding area, including strays, as they seek to identify those responsible.

The death followed another fatal attack in August, when a 33-year-old woman was mauled to death by a large dog in her care at a pet hotel and training facility in the New Territories.

Other incidents involving large dogs have followed, including one in which a big dog killed two other canines in a residential neighborhood.

Following another dog attack on Oct. 26, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department reminded dog owners to "properly control their dogs in public places," adding that "in a high-density environment, uncontrolled dogs may pose risks to public safety." The department has captured at least 10 unattended dogs since conducting special inspections in August.

The incidents have received widesp Around 240,000 Hong Kong households own dogs or cats, according to the government.

That is equivalent to just under 10% of all households. Although the Sept. 20 attack did not involve a typical pet dog, it has fueled anxiety among residents.

"I feel frightened when I see a large dog," said a woman in her 60s who lives in the area.

Hong Kong launched its program allowing dogs into registered restaurants in July. Owners must comply with rules such as keeping their dogs on leashes no longer than 1.5 meters.

The move is part of a pet-friendly policy unveiled by Chief Executive John Lee in 2025 to enhance Hong Kong's appeal as a city and nurture pet-related economic activity. But the recent attacks have fueled public concern, complicating those efforts.

In August, Lee said the government would review laws and regulations governing dogs, while his September policy address included plans to strengthen controls on dangerous dogs and clarify owners' responsibilities.

Hong Kong was under British rule until its handover to China in 1997, and its pet culture has been influenced in part by the British tradition of treating dogs as members of the family.

But limited land and a high population density make accommodating pets particularly challenging. Hong Kong now faces the task of creating a framework that allows people and dogs to coexist safely within those constraints.