Despite all the money that Taiwan has spent on stray animal management, a three-year investigation of 140 government pounds by the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) shows that the welfare of stray animals has hardly improved at all and stray animal numbers appear to be increasing.

Left to die after living in hell
Chen Yu-min, Secretary General of EAST, states: "The suffering I witnessed at the pounds was beyond imagination. All kinds of dogs are crowded together in small cages, and the weak or sick ones can't find a space to lie down or even get to the mildewed food. There is no shelter from extreme weather conditions. Animals are just left to 'naturally', either by disease or by deprivation of food and water. This is a living hell for stray animals."

Dog catchers lack animal handling skills and are unconcerned about the animals' welfare. Animals are often piled up in trucks without ventilation or water for days. Then they are transported to pounds which are usually in garbage dumps, or in remote areas near cemeteries or slaughterhouses.

Take action
EAST and ACTAsia are urging the Taiwanese Government to take immediate steps to relieve the suffering of cats and dogs at their pounds. Please add your voice to our call by signing our letter to the President of Taiwan, Mr Ma Ying-jeou. You can also contact him directly (and politely, please) through this link. 

Dear Mr President

We the undersigned are appalled by the gruesome images showing the suffering of stray dogs and cats in government run pounds throughout Taiwan. As shown in a recent study by the Environmental & Animal Society in Taiwan (EAST), the deplorable housing conditions, the lack of humane catching and the non-existence of medical care ignore all five basic freedoms that are recognised by the World Organisation for Animal Health.

Fifteen years ago, the cruel methods used in Taiwan to deal with stray animals shocked the world and led to national and international protests. The government gained respect by taking measures at that time to change this situation, including the implementation of an Animal Protection Law in 1998, criminal penalties for animal abusers, stricter regulation of pet industries, and the creation of more modernised shelters for stray animals in big cities like Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung.

Unfortunately, the survey by EAST shows that despite the efforts of the government, the handling, housing and treatment of stray animals remain largely barbaric. In addition, the number of stray animals has been increasing over the years. This does not fit in with the civilised, efficient and wealthy society that Taiwan is known to be.

We fully back up EAST in their plea for the authorities to immediately implement the following actions:

• To create standard operating guidelines for local municipalities on setting up and running a pound. These guidelines should prioritise animal needs and welfare.


•  To set up an animal warden system in each municipality to allow humane management of stray animals. It should immediately stop using garbage collectors to catch strays. Stray animals are living creatures, not garbage


• To tackle the root causes of stray animal issues by strict enforcement of pet industry regulations, including breeding farms, pet traders and pet shops.

We would greatly appreciate it if you could make it a priority to address these concerns without delay and improve the situation for stray animals, who are also citizens of your country.