The Council of Agriculture (COA) yesterday said it would not change its “no-kill” policy at public animal shelters unless the public reaches a consensus on the issue.
On Wednesday, nine animal rights groups called on the government to re-evaluate the policy, which took effect on Feb. 6, 2017.
Public shelters can only kill animals that have been infected during a state-recognized epidemic, have an incurable disease or pose a threat to sanitation or public order, according to Article 12 of the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法), which was amended in 2015 with a two-year grace period.
However, council data show that many public shelters receive more animals than they have room for.
The no-kill policy was produced in a “populist” context, with many animal rights advocates passionate about pushing it through, but many problems have surfaced, COA Department of Animal Industry Deputy Director Wang Chung-shu (王忠恕) said.
The council is grateful for the statement, but given that opinions are still divided, it would not amend the law again before a public consensus is reached, Wang said.
The Taiwan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and eight other groups issued a statement calling on the government to reassess the rules.
Some shelters let animals languish due to their reluctance to initiate evaluation procedures for mercy killing, some avoided killing animals to prevent protests from animal lovers and others do not have proper procedures to evaluate or conduct mercy killings, the statement said.
Public shelters should improve medical treatment and set up evaluation procedures for mercy killings that take into account animal welfare, it said.
The statement was forwarded to the council and municipalities, Taiwan SPCA executive director Connie Chiang (姜怡如) said yesterday.
Hopefully, the heads of local governments would put more resources toward maintaining accommodation quality at shelters, Chiang said.
If killing animals with chronic diseases is sometimes necessary, shelter officials should not refrain from doing so out of fear that it could spark protests, Chiang said.
The Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST), which did not sign the statement, raised concerns about the policy’s potential problems, but was criticized by other activists for supporting mercy killings, EAST deputy executive director Chen Yu-min (陳玉敏) said.
Many officials at public shelters have refused to talk with animal protection advocates because protesters often call them idle or irresponsible, Chen said.
She expressed regret over the death of Chien Chih-cheng (簡稚澄), a young veterinarian who allegedly committed suicide in 2016 due to pressure over mercy killing.
“Quality of life is more important than its length,” Chen said, adding that people should respect shelter workers and unite to solve the problem of overcrowding.
While the council has encouraged neutering stray animals, it should also keep track of the number of strays per region and propose stricter regulations to reduce the number of businesses that breed and sell pets, she said.
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