Taoyuan officials are seeking penalties of NT$3 million (US$94,029) on an unlicensed pet breeder in the Jhongli District (中壢) after rescuing 36 cats.
After receiving a tip-off, authorities raided an unlicensed animal breeding farm in Jhongli District (中壢) and found unhealthy and malnourished Maine Coons living in a dirty environment full of feces, Taoyuan Animal Protection Office head Wang De-chi (王得吉) said.
The owner of the farm, a man surnamed Lin (林), was questioned and is facing charges for contravening the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) and other laws. Lin was also found to be a reoffender, as he had been fined for illegal breeding in 2021 and last year.
Photo courtesy of the Taoyuan Animal Protection Office
Animal protection officers rescued 36 Maine Coons, which were in poor health after living in unsanitary conditions, and were taken to a veterinarian, officials said, adding that the cats have been recovering well.
The city is seeking a maximum fine of NT$3 million for the breeder, Wang said, adding that evidence of forgery and documents of false financial transactions have been transferred to prosecutors for criminal investigation.
The office received a tip-off regarding the Jhongli site on Saturday from Hsinchu City Pets TNVR Association director Shao Po-hu (邵柏虎), he said.
Animal protection officers carried out a raid the next day and found the cats in distressing conditions, so it turned into a rescue operation, he said, adding that Lin was summoned as part of the judicial investigation.
“The unlicensed facility was quite unsanitary. The cats were living in deplorable conditions, on grounds with accumulated feces. Some cats had fur so matted that it hampered their movement, and most were malnourished and emaciated,” Wang said.
Authorities also seized a large quantity of prescription-only drugs and vaccines for pets, and the owner likely administered those without a veterinary license, which breaches the Veterinary Drugs Control Act (動物用藥品管理法), Wang added.
To avoid getting caught for unlicensed pet breeding, Lin used tactics such as hiding animal origins by falsifying registrations and creating fake records of microchip implants, he said.
As the Maine Coon is becoming a popular pet, it is generating market demand, Wang said, urging the public to call the 1959 hotline to report illegal breeding, unlicensed sales and transactions, and abuse of animals.
The cats would be up for adoption from early next month, he added.
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