TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will soon launch an around-the-clock pet rescue service as the country makes efforts to build itself into an "island for happy pets,” agricultural authorities said.
Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) said on Friday (July 8) the 24/7 hotline, 1959, will come online in the near future for pet abuse reporting and rescue services. The number of pets in Taiwan is growing 10% annually, indicating a pressing need to put in place such an emergency hotline, Agriharvest quoted him as saying.
The agricultural authority, which is being upgraded to the Ministry of Agriculture in a broad government restructuring, announced it will propose a new amendment for pet industry management to the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) in two months, according to Chen.
A host of rules will be introduced by the end of this year for better regulation of pet products and foods as well as funeral services. This is part of an initiative to promote pet welfare through a holistic approach, supervised by a newly-formed unit at the agricultural council in April.
While the government is touting its many measures to care for pets, people have complained about drug dealers selling illegal pet medications via LINE groups comprising thousands of members, wrote Mirror Media. Some say their concerns aired to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine have been neglected, casting doubts over the government’s will to safeguard pets, the report claimed.
