The Animal Rescue Team Taiwan yesterday launched a group purchasing campaign to help procure food for an estimated 15,000 cats and dogs displaced by Typhoon Soudelor.
The animals, previously kept at 78 shelters in areas near mountains and rivers, face an imminent food shortage after their homes were devastated by the typhoon, the organization said.
On its Web site, the group compiled a list of the shelters that are in need of help, urging people to join the campaign.
Organization spokesperson Ni Ching-tai (倪京台) said the facilities are underprivileged and have few resources.
Due to their location, many of the facilities, along with their stocks of animal food, were destroyed by the typhoon, Ni said.
The number of facilities reporting need is increasing, Ni said, adding that some of the shelters had their roofs blown off by the typhoon, leaving cats and dogs exposed to the elements.
Among the facilities is Aunt Mei’s Cat Shelter in Hualien County, which has been in operation for more than 20 years, during which the facility’s owner, identified simply as Aunt Mei, has fed, sheltered and sterilized stray cats using her own money, the organization said, adding that the facility is home to 120 animals.
Also on the list is Grandpa Hsiao’s Dog Shelter in Changhua County.
Information provided by the association showed that the facility, established by a man surnamed Hsiao (蕭), has been in operation for more than a decade.
During this time, Hsiao sold property to raise funds to help stray dogs, drove dogs to the city to have them registered for adoption and took care of injured animals in his own house, the group said.
The group said it has donated 48,121kg of pet food with an estimated value of NT$1.74 million (US$54,768) to animal shelters across the nation this month.
Additional reporting by Sean Lin
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