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Taipei plans pet control program

The Taipei City Government has announced a two-stage program to reduce the number of stray dogs in the city and prevent a possible outbreak of rabies.

The Taipei Municipal Institute for Animal Health released a statement on Wednesday saying that the program would begin next month. Owners of cats and dogs will be encouraged to have their pets implanted with identity chips, vaccinated against rabies and sterilized.

The program is intended to highlight animal rights and reduce the number of dogs that are abandoned when they become ill or when their owners no longer want them, the statement said.

The institute is also of the opinion that pet owners need to be educated on rabies prevention and control.

In the first stage of the program in the next two months, the institute will ask stray dog catchers and police to approach pet owners in public areas and try to persuade them to have their pets implanted with ID chips and vaccinated annually against rabies.

From June onwards, institute personnel and policemen will issue warnings to people with cats or dogs found in public places that have not been implanted with ID chips or have not been vaccinated.

If the pet owners fail to comply within a specified period, they will be fined between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000, in accordance with the Animal Protection Law (動物保護法).

Interested pet owners can contact the institute on (02) 8789-1739, or visit the Web site at www.tmiah.tcg.gov.tw.
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