A Taipei program allowing pet owners to post their pet for adoption a month before taking them to a shelter has resulted in an adoption rate of less than 9 percent, independent Taipei City Councilor Lin Ying-meng (林穎孟) said on Monday last week, blaming the poor performance on a lack of effort by the city.
The “pet transfer” program, launched in 2018, allows an owner who is no longer able to care for their pet to first apply for a listing through the Taipei Animal Shelter.
If after 30 days a new owner does not come forward, the owner can take the pet to a city shelter.
The system aims to create an easier and less disruptive relocation process for the animal, in addition to easing pressures on busy shelters, Lin said on Facebook.
It also gives the original owners a “cool down” period during which they have the chance to change their mind, she added.
However, only 40 of the 451 animals listed for adoption since the program began have found new owners, Lin said, comparing the figure to a more than 80 percent overall adoption rate for the Taipei Animal Shelter over the same period.
Lin blamed the poor showing on a lack of incentives and poor promotion.
The adoption section on the Taipei Animal Protection Office Web site offers no information on the program or which animals are up for adoption, she said.
Calling the office’s attitude “extremely passive,” Lin said that the director has confirmed that no detailed statistics have been kept on the program.
However, those seeking to adopt a pet are offered a number of perks by choosing one from a city shelter, including free immunizations and microchipping, and waived pet registration fees, she added.
Lin said that office director Sung Nien-chieh (宋念潔) had agreed to consider three improvements:
Information about the program and the animals offered for adoption should be included on the city’s adoption Web site; the central government should include a section for “transfers” on its national animal shelter management system to improve search capabilities; and incentives should be comparable to adoption from shelters, Lin reported Sung as saying.
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