REPORT ON STRAY DOG SITUATION IN TAIWAN.
11TH DECEMBER 1997 (from various sources).
Compiled by Dr John Wedderburn:  jwed@hkstar.com
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Note: I have found it very difficult to obtain accurate up to date
information despite much correspondence and several recent visits to Taiwan
and USA. I have no bias in favour of any of the organisations - I am just
an individual wishing to see the situation progress faster. I would
greatly appreciate feed back in the form of corrections, further
information, opinions or ideas. Anything that will help the animals!
ÃD¥Ü §Úµo²{ ÁöµM ´X¦¸¨ì¥xÆW¤Î¬ü°ê«ô³X ­nÀò±o¥¿½Tªº³Ì·s¸ê°T¹ê¦b«D±`§xÃø
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Background:
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Investigations by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
from 1994 to 1996 revealed to the world that Taiwan had a serious stray dog
control problem. (Note: this report confines itself to the problem of dogs
but there is also a big problem with cats, orang-utans and many other
species).
®Ú¾Ú¥@¬É°Êª««OÅ@¨ó·|1994¦Ü 1996ªº½Õ¬dÅã¥Ü ¥xÆW¬y®öª‾ªººÞ²z¦³ÄY­«ªº°ÝÃD
(³o¥÷³ø§i¥u³‾­z¥xÆW¬y®öª‾ªº°ÝÃD µM¦Ó¦b¥xÆW ¨ä¹ê¨ä¥L°Êª«¦p ¿ß ªøÁu·á ¤Î¨ä¥LºØÃþªº°Êª«¤]¦³ÄY­«ªººÞ²z°ÝÃD)

Nearly 3 million dogs live in Taiwan, half of them homeless. 270,000 have
been caught and destroyed in the last eight years, 70,000 in 1996. The
Government (Council of Agriculture) issued an order in May 1997 for 1.3
million dogs to be destroyed by the end of 1998.
»OÆW¦³±Nªñ¤T¨Õ¸U°¦ª‾ ¥b¼Æ¬OµL¤H¸æ¾iªºª‾¨à ¹L¥h¤K¦~¨Ó¦@­p¦³¤G¤Q¤C¸U°¦¬y®öª‾³Q¼³±þ ¤@¤E¤E¤»¦~¤@¦~§ó¹F¤C¸U°¦ ¹A·~§½©ó¤@¤E¤E¤C¦~¤­¤ëµo§G­n¦b¤@¤E¤E¤K¦~©³¥H«e¼³±þ¤@¦Ê¤T¤Q¸U°¦¬y®öª‾

There are approximately 70 Government run dog pounds in Taiwan. Death is
induced by electrocution, gassing, drowning or starvation. These are
all methods that can be carried out en masse without the workers having to
personally harm an individual animal.
»OÆW¥Ø«e¤j¬ù¦³¤C¤Q³B¬F©²¸gÀ窺ª‾¨à©ë‾d¬] ¥H¹qÀ» ¥Ë´µ ·ÄÀũξj¦ºªº¤è¦¡¨Ó³B²z±¼¬y®öª‾ ¬°¤F¤£¨Ï³B²z¤u¤H¿Ë¦Û¤@°¦¤@°¦±þ¥Í ¨ä³B¦ºª‾¨àªº¤è¬O¤@¦¸¤@¤j°ïªº°Êª«³Q±þ®`

There are also a number of private no-kill dog shelters but these are in
general grossly overcrowded without any policy of either restriction of
numbers or of neutering.
¤]¦³¤@¨Ç¨p¤Hªº°Êª«§ÈÅ@©Ò¦¬®e¤@¨Ç¬y®öª‾ ¥H¨Ïª‾¨à­Ì§K©ó³Q¼³±þ ¦ý¦]¬°¨S¦³¦¬®e¼Æ¥Ø¥H¤ÎìI³Îªº­­¨î¬Fµ¦³W½d ¨p¤H¬y®öª‾§ÈÅ@©Ò©¹©¹¤j¦h¾ÖÀ½¤£³ô

A group of students at the Taipei American School runs the Taipei
Abandoned Animal Rescue Foundation (T-AARF). This group rescues dogs off
the street, rehabilitates, neuters and rehomes them. Because of the
difficulty in finding local homes, it has to resort to exporting most of
the animals to USA.
¤@¸s»O¥_¬ü°ê¾Ç®Õ¾Ç¥Í¦¨¥ß ¥x¥_¬@±Ï³Q±ó¾i°Êª«°òª÷·|(¢â¡Ð¢Ï¢Ï¢à¢Ô) ¥L­Ì±Nµó¤W³Q±ó¾iªº°Êª«±a¦^¬I¥HÂåÀø ìI³Î¨Ã¬°¥¦­Ì­«·s§ä¤@³B·s®a ·s¥D¤H µM¦Ó ¦b»OÆW¬°³o¨Ç³Q±ó¸mªº°Êª«§ä¤@©Ò·s®a¹ê¦b¦³­­¤]·¥¨ä§xÃø (¢â¡Ð¢Ï¢Ï¢à¢Ô)¥²¶·±N³o¸s°Êª«°e©¹¬ü°ê´M¨D§ÈÅ@©Ò

The business of importing, breeding and selling of dogs is currently
unregulated. There has in recent years been a surge in the popularity of
keeping dogs. There has been no government or private organisation
representing the interests of dogs and until very recently there has been
no attempt at education in the responsibilities of keeping dogs.
¥Ø«e ³B¸m±ó¾i°Êª«ªº¬ÛÃö¨Æ©y¦p¿é¥X¬ü°ê Áý­÷¤Î³c½æ¤w¸g¨S¦³¨Ò¦æ¶i¦æ ªñ¦~¨Ó¾iª‾­·®ð²±¦æ«o¤£¨£¬F©²©Î¨p¤H²Õ´©IÆ~­«µøª‾¨àªººÖ§Q ¬Æ¥B¦Ü¤µ ¤£¨£¦³¸æ¾iªÌ»Ý­t°_¾iÃdª«¤§³d¥ôªº±Ð¨|«Å¾É

As a generalisation, Chinese culture does not feel concern for animal
welfare. There is little deliberate cruelty but the combination of this
indifference to the suffering of animals with a taboo on the neutering and
personal killing of animals results in much suffering by default.
¤¤°ê²ß«U¤@‾ë¦Ó¨¥ ¹ï°Êª«ªººÖ§Q¨Ã¤£­«µø µM¦Ó¤¤°ê¤H³oºØ§Ò¿Ð±þ¥Í©Î¤£§Ô¬°°Êª«ìI³Îªº¸T§Ò ¤£²§¤]¬O¹ï°Êª«ªº¤@ºØ§ó¬°´Ý»Å¤Î³y¦¨¬y®öª‾§ó¬°¤£³ôªºµ²§½


Recent Developments:ªñ¨Óªºµo®i

The Taipei based Life Conservationist Association (LCA) - a WSPA member
organisation - has been producing much excellent educational material; has
been helping to improve local dog pounds; and has been working to pass an
Animal Protection Act through the Legislative Yuan.
¤@­Ó¥@¬É°Êª««OÅ@¨ó·|¤À¤ä¡G¥x¥_¥Í©RÀô¹Ò«OÅ@¥D¸qªÌ¨ó·|(LCA)¤w¸g»s§@³\¦h«D±`¦nªº±Ð¨|©Êªº¸ê®Æ ¤]«ùÄòÀ°§U§ïµ½»OÆW¬y®öª‾©ë‾d¬]ªºÀô¹Ò ¨Ã¥B³z¹L·¨¥ßªk©e­û­P¤O©ó³q¹L°Êª««OÅ@¦æ°Êªºªk®×

A Humane Education Conference and a Euthanasia Seminar were held in Taipei
in August 1997 and were attended and supported by Government officials,
WSPA, LCA, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the
Massachusetts SPCA (MSPCA), the American SPCA (ASPCA) and the British Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
¤H¹D±Ð¨|·|ij©MµLµh­W­P¦º³N°Q½×·|¦b¤@¤E¤E¤C¦~¤K¤ë©ó¥x¥_Á|¦æ ¥H¤W¦P­Ó°ê»Ú·|ij¬O°ê¤º¬F©²¾÷Ãö ¥@¬É°Êª««OÅ@¨ó·|(WSPA) ¥Í©RÀô¹Ò¥ÍºA«OÅ@¥D¸qªÌ¨ó·|(LCA) °ê»Ú°Êª«ºÖ§Q°òª÷·|(IFAW) Massachusetts SPCA(MSPCA) ¬ü°ê°Êª««OÅ@¨ó·|¥H¤Î­^°ê¬Ó®a°Êª«¨¾­¢®`²Õ´(RSPCA)µ¥°ê»Ú²Õ´ªº°Ñ»P©M¤ä«ù

ASPCA organised a training course in August for 350 teachers to introduce
ideas of companion animal care to Taiwanese schools. A follow up course is
expected to take place in 1998. MSPCA provided funding to cover the costs
of a vet and an animal handler to take part in the humane euthanasia
seminar and subsequent work at animal shelters. RSPCA provided one of their
vets to take part in the humane euthanasia seminar and practical
demonstrations at local centres. RSPCA is also planning to implement an
animal welfare volunteers training programme during 1988. Humane Society
International (HSI) is also watching the situation. WSPA and IFAW are
continuing to make regular monitoring visits to Taiwan. IFAW held meetings
in early December with government officials and local groups and is
encouraging and will help fund a model dog shelter when the most
appropriate site is found.
¬ü°ê°Êª««OÅ@¨ó·|¦b¤µ¦~¤K¤ë¶i¦æ¤F¤@­Ó°V½m½Òµ{ ¹ï»OÆW¾Ç®Õ¤T¦Ê¤­¤Q¦ì¦Ñ®v¤¶²ÐÃdª«·Ó®ÆªºÆ[©À ºò±µµÛªº±Ð¨|½Òµ{¹w­p¦b¤@¤E¤E¤K¦~Á|¦æ MSPCAÄw¶Ò¤F°òª÷¥H´£¨Ñ¤@¦ìÃ~Âå©M¤@¦ì°Êª«°V½mªÌ°Ñ»PµLµh­W­P¦º³N°Q½×·| ¨äÄw¶Òªº°òª÷¤]¬°°Êª«§ÈÅ@©Ò´£¨Ñ¤F¤@¨Ç¬ÛÃöªº¸ê§U ­^°ê¬Ó®a¨¾¤î´Ý®`°Êª«¨ó·|(RSPCA)¤]´£¨Ñ¤F¤@¦ì¥L­ÌªºÃ~Âå·|­û°Ñ»P¤H¹DµLµh­W­P¦º³N°Q½×·| ¨Ã¥B¦b¤@¨Ç¦a°Ï¤¤¤ß¹ê»Ú¸Ñ»¡¦p¦ó§@µLµh­W­P¦ºªk ­^°ê¬Ó®a¨¾¤î´Ý®`°Êª«¨ó·|(RSPCA)¤]¥¿¦b­p¹º©ó¤@¤E¤E¤K¦~¹ê¦æ¤@¶µ°Êª«ºÖ§Q¸q¤u½Òµ{ °ê»Ú¤H¹D²Õ´(HSI) ¥@¬É°Êª««OÅ@¨ó·|(WSPA)¥H¤Î°ê»Ú°Êª«ºÖ§Q°òª÷·|(IFAW)³£¦bÄ~ÄòÆ[¹î»P©w´Á«ô³X»OÆW °ê»Ú°Êª«ºÖ§Q°òª÷·|(IFAW)¦b¤Q¤G¤ëªì»P¬F©²©x­û©M¦a¤è¹ÎÅéÁ|¦æ´X¦¸·|½Í ¥L­Ì¹ªÀy­Y»OÆW§ä¨ì¤@³B¾A¦Xªº¦aÂI®ÉÄ@·NÀ°§UÄw¶Ò°òª÷¦¨¥ß¤@­Ó¥Ü½d¦¡ªº¬y®öª‾§ÈÅ@©Ò

All these organisations are currently deliberating how best now to help
move the situation forward.
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The Way Forward:¶i¤@¨Bªº¦æ°Ê(¤èªk):

A fact that has to be recognised is that many Taiwanese resent the bad
publicity engendered for their country by the world-wide attention on the
problem. The current piecemeal approach needs to be co-ordinated from
within the country. LCA cannot fill this role as it is an educational group
covering all animal issues.
¤@¶µ»Ý­n­«·s½Õ¾ãªº¨Æ¹ê¬O:³\¦h»OÆW¤H¹ï©ó»OÆW³Q¥@¬É¦U°ê¶K¤W´Ý®`°Êª«ªº¼ÐÅÒ·P¨ì¹½´c ¥Ø«e¦b°ê¤º»Ý­n©âµ·­éõ¦a¤@¦¸¤@¥óºCºC¶i¦æ ¥x¥_¥Í©RÀô¹Ò«OÅ@«OÅ@¥D¸qªÌ¨ó·|(LCA)¦]¬°¥L­ÌªºÄ³ÃD¬O¹ï©ó©Ò¦³°Êª« ¦]¦¹¥Ø«e¥L­Ì¹ï©ó»OÆW¬y®öª‾ªº°ÝÃDµLªkµÛ­«¤ß¤O

It would seem that the best way forward is for a group of local Taiwanese
to develop a model dog shelter which would not only have a service
commitment but would also educate both the public and the government in the
latest techniques of humane dog control. This seems to be generally agreed
and much work is now being done behind the scenes to get this project off
the ground. Once it is established, overseas organisations and foreign
individuals can contribute money and expertise to ensure its success.
²{¤µ¶i¤@¨Bªº¦æ°Ê¦ü¥G³Ì¦n¬O¥Ñ¤@¸s»OÆW¥»¦a¤H¥Á¥h§V¤O«Ø¥ß¤@©Ò¥Ü½d°Êª«§ÈÅ@©Ò ¨ä©Ê½è¤£¶È¬O¤@­ÓªA°È©Êªº ¤]¬O¤@­Ó¥i¥H±Ð¨|¤j²³©M¬F©²¥H¤H¹D±±¨îª‾¨àªº³Ì·s¤èªk ³o¤@¨B¬Ý°_¨Ó¦ü¥G¬O¥Ø«e³Ì¥i¦æ¤]¬O³Ì¦³¥i‾৹¦¨ªº­p¹º

Once this "SPCA" is established and once the Animal Protection Act is in
force, the situation should improve. Unfortunately in the meantime there
are a lot of suffering animals out there.
¤@¥¹¦¹¤@¥Ü½d§ÈÅ@©Ò¦¨¥ß¤F °ê¥~°Êª««OÅ@²Õ´¥H¤Î¥~°ê¦³¤ßªB¤Í´N·|°^Äm¥L­Ìªºª÷¿ú»P¤H¤~¨ÓÄ~Äò«P¦¨»OÆW¬y®ö°Êª«ªº¤H¹D³B¸m


What You Can Do: §A¥i¥H§@¨Ç¤°»ò:

1. If you are a member of any of the above organisations, write to them to
urge them to continue with their efforts - ear-marked donations would help.
¦pªG§A¬O¤W­z²Õ´ªº·|­û ½Ð¼g«H´°«P¥L­ÌÄ~Äò¥L­Ì¹ï»OÆW°Êª«©Ò§@ªº§V¤O ¿n¤Ö¦¨¦hªº®½´Ú‾àÀ°§U¥Ü½d§ÈÅ@©Ò

2. Help to ensure the continuity of T-AARF. This organisation needs to
have permanent premises and staff and would use donations to become more
cost-effective by developing a local adoption service.
À°§U¥x¥_¬@±Ï±ó¾i°Êª«°òª÷·| ¦¹°òª÷·|»Ý­n¤@©T©wªº³B©Ò¥H¤Î¤u§@¤H­û ¨Ã¥B¤]»Ý­n¶Ò´Úª÷¨Ó¦¨¥ß¤@­Ó°Êª«»{¾iªA°È¤¤¤ß

3. Keep informed by joining the e-mailing list ACT! (follow the link from
the T-AARF website).
¥[¤J¥x¥_°Êª«Ãö¤Á¨ó·|(ACT)ªºE-mail¦W¥U¨Ã¥B«O«ù³sô(¥i±qT-AARFºô‾¸§ä¨ì)


Internet Addresses:ºô§}¦a§}

IFAW: http://www.ifaw.org/
e-mail: 0005086269@mcimail.com

WSPA: http://www.wspa.org.uk/
e-mail: joyleney@wspa.org.uk

LCA:
e-mail: lcatwn@ms15.hinet.net

T-AARF:  http://www.geocities.com/t-aarf/main.html
e-mail: sharptpe@toapayoh.com

ASPCA: http://www.aspca.org/

MSPCA: http://www.mspca.org/

RSPCA: http://www.rspca.org.uk/

HSI:  http://www.hsus.org/international/index.html

EarthCare: http://www.earth.org.hk/

Photos 1

Photos 2

Update (October 2000): There have been many changes.  There is much debate as to whether the changes are real or cosmetic but certainly the Taiwan authorities have now accepted that there is a serious problem and they are taking steps to address it.  We can but hope.
We believe there has been too much emphasis on eliminating the surplus (albeit in a more kindly way) and not enough on preventing the surplus by Spay and Neuter.