Workers at restaurants, seafood stores or certified traditional markets may kill fowl or fish by placing them in boiling water, but doing so as part of a public performance is illegal, a Council of Agriculture official said.
Hsu Kuei-sen (許桂森), director of the council's Animal Industry Department, made the remarks in response to questions about a hotel in Taipei County that was fined NT$100,000 (US$3,175) after a chef from China gave a demonstration called “stewing a chicken in three minutes” at a promotional event on March 21.
The chef, Zhang Xiaochun (張小春), killed the chicken by placing it in boiling water before plucking it and continuing the cooking process.
The performance drew howls of protest from the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST), which denounced the killing as animal abuse.
The county government fined the hotel for violating the Husbandry Act (畜牧法) which stipulates that slaughtering can only be performed at certified slaughterhouses, traditional markets or private homes.
Tsai Kuang-jung (蔡光榮), director of the county's Agriculture Bureau, told reporters that the public killing of animals showed a disrespect for life.
EAST said the case raises questions about whether cooking live fish at seafood restaurants also violates the law.
In response to the disputes, Hsu said the hotel was punished because it conducted the slaughter as part of a public show.
He added that while people show no indication that they will ever stop eating meat it is always better to cook in “a humane way,” according the animal a modicum of respect.
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