The Taiwan Life Caring and Animal Rescue Organization is looking for a suitable home for a German shepherd dog trained as a guard dog.
It needs a home where it can be kept apart from other dogs, and requires a large yard to move around in. It is not suited to live in an apartment, or with children younger than 10, an animal rescue employee known as A-te (阿德) said.
Police in Taipei took on the dog, nicknamed Ta Hsiung (大熊), after its owner brought the dog to the police station because he could not keep the dog due to financial problems and asked the police to euthanize the dog, because he could not bring himself to do it.
Photo: Chen Wei-tsung, Taipei Times
Unwilling to put Ta Hsiung to death, the police called the Taiwan Life Caring and Animal Rescue Organization.
The organization agreed to temporarily house the animal at its Yingge branch (鶯歌) in New Taipei City, but said it is currently at full capacity and cannot keep it long-term.
A-te said Ta Hsiung is probably a purebred German shepherd and is about four-and-half years old.
A-te showed reporters multiple scratches and bites from Ta Hsiung, adding that it had probably been trained as a guard dog because it attacks strangers.
Ta Hsiung’s ferocity has necessitated measures to keep it apart from other dogs in the compound, A-te said.
“We hope other dog lovers will help search for people willing to adopt Ta Hsiung as the organization’s compound is currently full,” he said, adding that if the organization can raise NT$80,000 (US$2,652) it could transfer Ta Hsiung to an appropriate facility with all the adequate equipment and training.
The organization confirmed that it has received several calls from people wanting to adopt the German shepherd, but so far no homes have been deemed suitable.
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