A thin brown dog named Bao looks with tired eyes through a metal fence. His slight limp and scarred ear hint at the painful, lonely life he struggled through before ending up in a government-run shelter.
Since 2003, PETA Asia-Pacific Director Jason Baker has worked with Asian shelters to help homeless animals like Bao. Limited animal welfare laws and lack of trained government workers make the homeless animal crisis a great challenge for Taiwan, but there is also great potential to make positive changes, and improve facilities, as well as the care and treatment of animals.
Taiwan’s Progress
In Taiwan, shelters have made varying degrees of improvement. Shan Chung’s facility has made few changes since PETA’s 2005 visit, while Bade’s shelter has made steady progress. Keelung’s shelter, located in a rugged, mountainous region, made some improvements after PETA’s last inspection—including installing platforms above the wet, frozen ground to keep dogs dry and a bit warmer, but still lacks adequate protection from the harsh cold and wind.
By far, the most progressive shelter has been in Taoyaun. In the past two years, the local government replaced an old decrepit facility (see photos) with a new, improved shelter that has a vet clinic, adoption counseling rooms, plenty of staff and information on companion animal care. There are designated areas for farmed animals, wildlife and communal housing for cats. The dog area remains overcrowded, but it’s warm, indoors, and has good ventilation.
All the shelters could use better protection from harsh weather and better veterinary care to minimize the suffering of sick or injured animals who are forced to wait, often for weeks, to be treated.
Join PETA in urging the Taiwanese government to raise the bar on animal welfare and improve shelter facilities nationwide. Simple improvements such as weather-proofing shelters and providing veterinary care and euthanasia in a timely manner would make a world of difference for the animals that live there. Please use the form below to send a polite letter to Chen Shui-bian, the president of Taiwan, and urge him to take action to improve the lives of animals at shelters across the nation.
Personalized letters always work best. Feel free to use the following text, but your message will carry more weight if you write your own customized message and subject line.
