The number of pets in Taiwan has likely surpassed that of children, while the pet industry has grown to NT$63.1 billion (US$1.98 billion), the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) said last week.
Due to the falling birthrate and societal changes, Taiwan has probably reached the “golden cross” of the pet-to-children ratio, the institute said at the Animal Precision Nutrition International Forum on Tuesday last week, after announcing that there could be more pets than children younger than 15.
The Ministry of Agriculture’s survey of domestic dogs and cats last year showed that Taiwan had more than 1.48 million dogs and 1.31 million cats, an increase of 19 and 50 percent respectively compared with the 2021 survey.
Photo: New Taipei City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office
The ministry performs the survey every two years.
The number of pets is likely to increase, said Liu Yi-chen (劉依蓁), head of TIER’s seventh research division.
Pet food makes up nearly half of sector spending at NT$30.8 billion, with conventional pet food worth NT$25.6 billion, Liu said.
The fastest growing vertical is pet food supplements, worth NT$5.1 billion, she said.
A 2018 survey by the institute found that when purchasing food supplements, owners pay close attention to their pets’ medical needs and history, as well as the supplements’ efficacy and safety, she said.
Owners did not generally discern between foreign and domestic products, and price was not a determining factor, she added.
The 2018 survey also found that supplements were used to improve pets’ coats, bones, joints, teeth and gastrointestinal health, she said.
The potential market for supplements targeting issues such as canine kidney health, cardiovascular wellness and pet weight issues is untapped, she added.
To improve pet food safety, the Ministry of Agriculture has announced a draft of a “pet food management act,” the first time the government would seek to regulate the production, packaging and sale of pet food.
The draft calls for pet food factories to apply for licensing, establish independent tracing systems and obtain liability insurance.
If the act does not face any objections during the 60-day notice period, it would move on to the Executive Yuan for approval before it is sent to the Legislative Yuan.
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS