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.
A free exhibition aimed at teaching the public about air-raid shelters and basic emergency personal protection skills today opened on the concourse level of the Taipei MRT's Ximen Station. The event, organized by the National Police Agency, aims to raise awareness about disaster preparedness ahead of nationwide air raid drills scheduled from July 15 to 18, which are part of broader urban resilience exercises. The exhibition outlines the recommended actions people should take depending on whether they are indoors, commuting or outdoors when air-raid sirens sound. It also teaches people how to equip air-raid shelters and pack emergency "go bags," with displays
A first shipment of five tons of Taiwan tilapia was sent from Tainan to Singapore on Wednesday, following an order valued at NT$600,000 (US$20,500) placed with a company in the city. The products, including frozen whole fish and pre- cooked fish belly, were dispatched from Jiangjun Fishing Harbor, where a new aquatic processing and logistics center is under construction. At the launch, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) called the move a “breakthrough,” marking Taiwan’s expansion into the Singaporean tilapia market. Taiwan’s tilapia exports have traditionally focused on the United States, Canada, and the Middle East, Huang said, adding that the new foothold in
An electric bus charging facility at Taipei Metro’s Beitou Depot officially opened yesterday with 22 charging bays to serve the city’s 886 electric buses. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) told a ceremony to mark the opening of the facility that the city aims to fully electrify its bus fleet by 2030. The number of electric buses has grown from about 650 last year to 886 this year and is expected to surpass 1,000 by the end of the year, Chiang said. Setting up the charging station in a metro depot optimizes land and energy use, as the metro uses power mainly during the
An exhibition demonstrating the rejuvenation of the indigenous Kuskus Village in Pingtung County’s Mudan Township (牡丹) opened at the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s conservation station in Taipei on Thursday. Agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said they have been promoting the use and development of forestry resources to local indigenous residents for eight years to drive regional revitalization. While modern conservation approaches mostly stem from western scientific research, eco-friendly knowledge and skills passed down through generations of indigenous people, who have lived in Taiwan for centuries, could be more suitable for the environment, he said. The agency’s Pingtung branch Director-General Yang Jui-fen (楊瑞芬)
RSS