National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) should take seriously the attitude that all life is equal, when it comes to campus security, protecting not only the safety of students on campus, but also that of dogs and other animals, students at the school said earlier this week.
The comments came after one of the school dogs, Coffee, was run over by a taxi driving on campus over the weekend.
Coffee was about 15 or 16 years old and was known for bonding with people and patrolling the campus.
Photo courtesy of the National Cheng Kung University stray dog volunteer group
Student volunteers who care for stray animals on campus said that one volunteer had witnessed the accident at 8am on Sunday.
The volunteer alleged that the driver stepped out of the car, inspected the injured dog and drove away.
Students sent the dog to a veterinarian for treatment, volunteers said.
After an X-ray and blood tests, the veterinarian said Coffee had suffered spinal dislocation, causing permanent paralysis from the waist down, as well loss of control over bowel functions.
If the dog were to undergo surgery, it would still be paralyzed, the veterinarian said, adding that due to its age and the extent of its injuries, it would require constant care even if it survived the surgery.
The volunteer who witnessed the accident said they had not recorded the vehicle license-plate number, adding that security guards at the gates did not have any further details.
Campus security said there were no security cameras in the vicinity of the accident or at the campus gates and license plate numbers of taxis were not usually recorded.
“We hope the incident serves to highlight loopholes in campus security and hope the university takes measures to safeguard students and animals,” the students said.
The students said there are 27 stray dogs registered by the volunteer group, which the university helps fund and is mostly comprised of students.
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