Officials on Monday raided an alleged puppy mill in Hsinchu City and rescued 62 dogs, which are to be put up for adoption, the Hsinchu City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office said.
The office said its staff raided the puppy mill in the city’s Siangshan District (香山) and found 62 shiba inu dogs.
Fifty adult dogs and 12 puppies were found at the mill, the office said, adding that some of the dogs were raised to enter competitions.
Office director Yang Chu-yuan (楊礎遠) said it was the first illegal animal breeding facility discovered in the city and there were no apparent signs of animal abuse, although some dogs showed signs of skin disease and hair loss, while others had swollen paws.
The breeder, surnamed Tsai (蔡), said he bred the dogs for competitions and not for sale, but the office said they had evidence showing that Tsai sold dogs without a license.
Tsai faces a fine of between NT$100,000 and NT$3 million (US$3,100 and US$93,000) for breaching the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法), the office said.
Tsai was ordered to keep the dogs until they would be available for adoption, as the city’s shelters are full, it added.
The office said it would announce the date and method of adoption at a later date.
According to the Taiwan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which collected evidence against the breeder, Tsai had other breeding facilities in Taichung, China and Japan.
Each shiba inu could be sold for between NT$10,000 and NT$60,000, and dogs bred in Taiwan have been sold in China and Japan, the society said.
Society member Jen Yu-wei (任昱緯) said it received information about Tsai’s activities in 2014, but failed to collect evidence until a person gave the society video footage showing Tsai selling dogs.
Commenting on Yang’s remark that Tsai is a “person of conscience,” because the dogs were in relatively good condition, Jen said the unregistered facility was still illegal, despite its relatively well-kept condition.
“The breeder took better care of the dogs that were to enter competitions, but there are also dogs raised improperly and showing symptoms of diseases. Also, few dogs were microchipped,” Jen said.
The society called on the public not to purchase pets, because there are plenty of animals at shelters suitable for adoption, adding that people considering adopting the shiba inus should know that they are not easy to raise.
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