New Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday said he would eliminate euthanasia of stray animals in the city within three years, following an agreement made by lawmakers on Wednesday to bring an end to the practice by 2017.
Lin made the announcement during a visit to an animal shelter, where he was briefed by officials about stray animals in Taichung.
Among the nation’s six special municipalities, Greater Taichung has the highest number of euthanized stray animals per year, although the number dropped this year from 4,988 last year, according to Lin. This is not something Taichung can be proud of, the new mayor said.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
He asked the Greater Taichung Government’s Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office to put forward a plan for lowering the number of stray animals being euthanized each year, with a goal of reaching zero within three years.
However, ending euthanasia should not be seen as a solution to the city’s stray animal problem, he said.
He promised to increase the budget for spaying and neutering animals, institute heavier penalties on people who abandon their pets, promote sterilization and find ways to increase the animal adoption rate.
On Wednesday, lawmakers across party lines agreed to a revision of the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) that would remove euthanasia regulations.
Currently, the act says that animals in shelters or in other public holding facilities may be put down if they are not claimed or adopted within 12 days.
If passed in the current legislative session, the new regulations could go into effect in 2017.
Earlier this month, Lin used Facebook to ask for suggestions on pressing issues that should be addressed immediately.
“Heavy penalties for pet abandonment” ranked third on the list of suggestions he received.
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