From October next year, a permit would be required to sell, breed or board cats, the Taipei Animal Protection Office said on Wednesday, adding that failure to comply would result in a fine and suspension of operations.
The new rules are to take effect on Oct. 17, following a revision last month to the Regulations for Particular Animal Industry Management to include cats, the office said in a statement.
Prior to the amendment, only dogs were covered under the regulations, but due to a sharp increase in the number of cats registered as pets, it has become necessary to include them, the office added.
There are between 30 and 40 cat hotels and pet shops that sell cats in Taipei, office statistics showed.
All such businesses must obtain a permit by the October date to continue operating, Pet Industry and Wildlife Conservation Section official Lin Li-jung said.
Fines for contravening the new regulations are to range from NT$100,000 to NT$3 million (US$3,315 to US$99,476), the office said in a statement.
From 2012 to last year, the number of cats registered as pets nationwide rose from 27,548 to 61,364, office data showed, but many people do not register their cats.
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