Animal protection associations criticized, in statements to Lusa, the ban on dog walking in Macau, a measure justified by the authorities in the context of the fight against Covid-19, when the territory is experiencing a partial confinement. Pet owners have already launched a petition against a measure that consider it unreasonable and illegal.

“Our position is that taking a dog to relieve himself is a reasonable necessity,” stressed the president of the animal defense organization Anima. “We hope that the government faces this problem head-on”, especially because “no one knows what will happen after next week“, stressed Zoey Tang, referring to the possibility that the authorities extend the partial confinement.

On the other hand, he maintained that the order of the chief executive dated July 9 does not declare that walking dogs is a crime, for which he considers it unreasonable that the authorities do not allow dogs to be taken outsidealbeit for a short period of time.

Another animal welfare association, Masdaw, argued that the ban is incompatible with the animal protection law and criticized the position of the Government, regretting that in Macao such a measure has been adopted that “in some part of the world it would not happen like this”.

“It’s an absolute mistake,” he said.

Owner of four dogs, João Manuel Vicente, who is a lawyer, has no doubts: “I myself believe that it is not a legal measure.” And that, “even if it were legal, (…) it is not fair.”

João Manuel Vicente recalled that the ban was announced “only verbally” at a press conference and “that is not the way to create legal types of crimes, need legal support“. On the other hand, he defended that the authorities could admit a “middle way” that would benefit both parties.

Another owner, also of four dogs, Fátima Couto, said that the fact that the dogs relieve themselves at home “It can create an unhealthy environment.”

“It’s a nightmare of difficulties and pooping inside the house,” he said, recalling that the bigger the dog, the worse.

An online petition called “Dog walking should be allowed during partial lockdown“, which has been circulating since Wednesday, has so far gathered more than 3,000 signatures, at a time when the authorities are expected to confirm the end of a week of partial confinement, a gradual lifting of measures or the extension of restrictions.

Macau closed Monday, for a period of one week, all non-essential commercial activities, including casinos, imposing the mandatory use of KN95 or “higher standard” masks and prohibiting the stay in the street, under penalty of imprisonment of up to two years or more. a fine.

With a few exceptions, such as going to work, going to the hospital or buying basic necessities, the population is prohibited from going outside.

So far, five people have been convicted of violating the measures imposed by the confinement – one of them with a sentence of five months in prison, suspended for two years – and the security forces have sent 25 files of alleged violations to the Public Ministry. of the law. restrictions

Confinement exacerbates crisis in Macau and prevents returns to mainland China

The partial lockdown imposed to contain the worst Covid-19 outbreak to hit Macau since the start of the pandemic exacerbated the economic crisis and has prevented families and students from returning to mainland China.

UN worries that confinement measures in Macau violate international pact

Lili Zhang had already lost her job in February when the clothing store where she worked closed its doors. “The situation was so bad that they didn’t even try to sell the leftover clothes, they let us take them home,” the resident told Lusa.

With Macau reaching more than 13,300 unemployed, the highest number in the last 19 years, the only source of income. resident found was smuggling. Lili even crossed the border six times a day, taking mostly imported Western goods, which are more expensive in mainland China due to excise or luxury goods taxes.

“Before it was only for the old, because they don’t pay much, but with so many people out of work, they began to be more and more,” he said. Macau police had already begun tightening their grip on smugglers, who, Lili says, began exchanging tips about less guarded borders and less suspicious hours.

But the current outbreak has put an end to business, with the nearby city of Zhuhai imposing a seven-day quarantine at designated hotels for those arriving from Macau.” My husband works at the Grand Emperor casino, but now he’s been sent home without paying. . And I don’t even know if you’ll ever work againLily admitted.

But the resident, who hails from Guangxi in southern China, says her main concern is her 7-year-old son, whose school year ended early and is now “He spends his days with his eyes glued to the television.”

Since the start of the current outbreak on June 18, various groups, whose members are mainly families with children, have appeared on social media to share information on how to book a room in quarantine hotels in Zhuhai.

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“It’s a race against time,” Lisa Kuan explained to Lusa. “Appointments open every day at 10 a.m. and within seconds the rooms are all booked at all the hotels,” she said.

In early July, Lisa was finally able to be one of the quickest and book a room in Zhuhai for herself, her husband, and their 3-year-old daughter. The plan was, after seven days of quarantine, to spend the summer in the town of Sanxiang, just 20 kilometers from Macao, where Lisa’s parents are from. A few hours later, the plan failed. “They detected a case here in my building, which became a yellow zone,” explained Lisa, referring to the classification as a risk zone, something that prevented the family from crossing the border.

The sense of isolation was made even greater on Thursday, when Zhuhai, a city also facing a Covid-19 outbreak, stopped accepting quarantined staff from Macau.

Even so, according to official data from the Public Security Police, in the last three weeks they have already left the city. more than 2,400 inhabitants.

Also the mainland Chinese students had planned to return home during the summer break.

For students at the University of Macau in particular, the outbreak meant a double lockdown, with restrictions placed on entry to the institution’s Hengqin (mountainous island) campus.

Edmund is from Sichuan province in southwestern China, but he told Lusa that he has given up on returning to his homeland this summer. “There are many students here in the same situation.“, he lamented.

At a time when neighbors are discussing a possible relaxation of restrictions on social networks, the young man defends the tightening of confinement, as happened in many cities in mainland China, where inhabitants were prohibited from leaving their homes.

Edmund defended that, “if Macao cannot control this outbreak, the same thing will happen as in Hong Kong”, which has registered a average of more than 2,800 cases of Covid-19 per day.

“If quarantine is necessary, what tourist will want to visit Macau?” the student asked.