The Executive Yuan has approved a NT$1.2 billion (US$39.89 million) medium-term project to improve conditions at animal shelters, according to an official from the Council of Agriculture.
Lin Tsung-yi (林宗毅), head of the council’s animal protection section, said the government is working toward eliminating what the lawmakers called the “12 days clause” — a reference to the practice of putting down shelter animals after 12 days, an issue brought to public attention in the documentary Twelve Nights (十二夜) — but because more animals are being brought into shelters than adopted out, they have no choice but to continue the practice.
Lin said that after the length of time before animals are put to death was extended from the previous period of seven days, crowded conditions and a lack of medical resources for the animals have actually made the death rate at shelters increase.
The government’s priority will be promoting spaying and neutering animals, he said, adding that it is planning to vaccinate, neuter and plant information chips in dogs in remote and mountainous areas this year to help allay fears over rabies following the disease’s recent resurgence.
Lin also said that shelters outside of Taipei generally date back to, 1998, when the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) was promulgated.
A lack of inspection and quarantine facilities for newly arriving animals means it is difficult to control the spread of infectious diseases, Lin said.
Of the NT$1.2 billion budget, NT$28.5 million is earmarked to improve conditions at those shelters this year, and local governments will have to reapply each year to have access to the funds, he said.
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
About 4.2 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The growth continues to be consistent, with the fourth quarter of this year expected to be the peak in Taiwan, the agency said, adding that it plans to promote Taiwan overseas via partnerships and major events. From January to June, 9.14 million international departures were recorded from Taiwan, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year, with 3.3 million headed for Japan, 1.52 million for China and 832,962 to South Korea,
REWRITING HISTORY: China has been advocating a ‘correct’ interpretation of the victory over Japan that brings the CCP’s contributions to the forefront, an expert said An elderly Chinese war veteran’s shin still bears the mark of a bullet wound he sustained when fighting the Japanese as a teenager, a year before the end of World War II. Eighty years on, Li Jinshui’s scar remains as testimony to the bravery of Chinese troops in a conflict that killed millions of their people. However, the story behind China’s overthrow of the brutal Japanese occupation is deeply contested. Historians broadly agree that credit for victory lies primarily with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-led Republic of China (ROC) Army. Its leader, Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a
RSS