Animal rights advocates were shocked by the news that 154 pedigree cats were confiscated by the Coast Guard Administration and euthanized in accordance with the law.
Naturally, the smugglers who had attempted to bring the animals into the country were subject to severe criticism, but law enforcement agencies were also targeted for being bureaucratic and inflexible.
However, any discussion of the issue should instead look at the problems with the legislation governing the situation.
LIMITED EFFECT
Although legal amendments have increased the fines for smuggling dogs and cats, pedigree pets still command a high market value, and the deterrent effect of the legal sanctions is therefore limited.
To prevent a reoccurrence of this event, a more comprehensive approach is needed.
Pet trade is a commercial activity, and so long as there is market demand for pedigree cats and dogs, as well as rarer animals, there will be supply, the price of which will be influenced by the market.
To protect Taiwan’s ecology, it is reasonable that imported live animals are quarantined. The costs accrued from importation, transportation and examinations are borne by the business, and when the cost of vaccinations and quarantining is factored in, it would drive up the selling price, which affects the business’ competitiveness.
RISING AWARENESS
Over the past several years, animal protection awareness has increased in Taiwan, and prospective owners are more likely to favor adopting a pet in need of a home instead of buying one.
However, Taiwan still has some way to go before adoption completely replaces the importation of pedigree breeds, and in the meantime, some businesses will still try to circumvent the law.
Many Taiwanese do not endorse the trade of living creatures, but the pet trade is an unavoidable aspect of life.
Taiwan has a serious stray animal problem, with animal shelters throughout the nation stretched for staff and resources. In many cases, owners realize that they do not have enough space to provide their pet with a good living environment, and they might ponder whether they should have their pet put to sleep rather than sending it to a shelter where it might suffer.
Faced with this choice, they might decide that euthanizing the animal is the more humane option.
The problem of animal smuggling is even bigger than the stray situation, and it could lead to an outbreak of disease among the nation’s pet population, putting even more lives at risk.
In addition, smuggling pets is not the same thing as smuggling goods, as pets are living creatures, and their value cannot be measured in monetary terms alone.
Fining smugglers does not work. If the smugglers get away with bringing in batches of animals multiple times before getting caught once, they might still make a profit due to the high selling prices.
INCREASED PATROLS
The simplest and most effective method would be to increase the number of patrols, which would dissuade smugglers from setting out in the first place. That would reduce the supply and drive prices up to such high levels that demand would gradually decrease.
It is incumbent to deal with this issue from a perspective of respect for life.
If Taiwan sets out in the right direction, the deaths of those 154 cats would not have been in vain.
Hong Tsun-ming is the director of the Taiwan Statebuilding Party’s Yilan County branch.
Translated by Paul Cooper
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