Officials free souls of stray dogs

The Taipei Municipal Institute for Animal Health held a traditional Pudu (普渡) ceremony yesterday, which was performed to protect from ghosts the souls of animals that have been euthanized or died from sickness.

Many of the dogs put down at the institute in the past year were strays, said Huang Jung-feng (黃榮峰), director general of the department of reconstruction.

"Basically, we respect all lives. But because the detention period of animals is limited, it's unavoidable to end their lives," Huang said. "I feel sorrow over their deaths."

Huang said that with the approach of the Chung Yuan Festival (中元節), also know as the Ghost Festival, he hoped the souls of the deceased animals could be freed by the Buddhist ceremony. "We wish these souls will have a better life after reincarnation," Huang said.

According to animal protection laws, animals kept longer than seven days at the institute may be put to sleep. Last year, roughly 8,000 animals were euthanized.

The ceremony is held every year. The altar was set before the dead animal monument at the institute. Huang led the ceremony as monks chanted liturgies and blessed the foods and other offerings, which had been set out to supplicate the spirits.

Although animals can be put down just seven days after arriving at the institute, officials often wait longer in the hope that a potential owner will adopt a stray dog.

Huang said that the seven-day policy would be reviewed by the end of this year, as strays have become less problematic in Taipei in recent years.

"According to the surveys done in last three consecutive years, the number of wild dogs in Taipei has decreased greatly," Huang said.

Three years ago the stray population was estimated at 75,000, and last year it was 54,000, he said. This year the number is roughly 18,000.

Huang said that wild dogs mainly concentrate in rural areas such as Yangminshan Country Park (陽明山國家公園) or other nature parks. But in urban areas today, wild dogs are more of a rarity.

Huang said that with the recent completion of the Taipei Animal Home -- and with 69 animal hospitals operating in Taipei -- the capacity to handle unadopted animals has increased.

Therefore, there is room to extend the seven-day waiting period, he said.

"The policy is being evaluated. We still haven't decided the length of the new period yet," Huang said.

"Mayor Ma will make a related announcement by the end of this year. We hope Taipei can lead other parts of Taiwan in having a longer detention period for animals."