Pet dogs and cats and other mammals that can be raised at home are still banned from entering national forest recreation areas due to a rabies outbreak, the Ministry of Agriculture said yesterday.
The ministry on Wednesday last week announced that it has proposed extending the ban for pets in national forest recreation areas to July 31, 2026.
However, different offices of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency can decide if they would allow visitors to access some facilities in forest areas with their pets under certain conditions.
Photo: Huang Chia-lin, Taipei Times
People are welcome to comment on the proposed change in policy during a 20-day public comment period, the ministry said.
The agency on July 29, 2022, announced a list of 20 forest areas under its management where pets were banned from entering from Aug. 1, 2002, to July 31 this year to control the spread of rabies among wildlife.
However, the spread of the contagious disease has shown no signs of easing, it said.
Confirmed cases have been reported in 94 districts and towns of 10 cities and counties, making the extension of the ban necessary, the agency said.
Five national forest recreation areas have in the past two years allowed visitors to access certain facilities with their cats and dogs, provided that the pets have implanted chips and have been inoculated against rabies, the agency said.
They are Neidong National Forest Recreation Area in New Taipei City, Jhihben National Forest Recreation Area in Taitung County, Linhousilin Forest Park in Pingtung County, and Danongdafu Forest Park and Chinan National Forest Recreation Area in Hualien County, it said.
Starting on Aug. 1, certain facilities in the Aogu Wetlands and Forest Park in Chiayi County would be open to visitors who bring their cats and dogs, it said.
After the extended ban takes effect, the agency’s offices would announce which facilities within a national forest recreation area are accessible to pet owners, it said.
In related news, the Lalashan Giant Trees Area has been renamed the Lalashan National Forest Recreation Area, the agency said.
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