TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — There were nearly 100,000 more pet dogs and cats than newborns in Taiwan in 2023, with felines outnumbering babies.
With Taiwan on track to become a “super-aged society" this year, 232,196 dogs and cats were registered in 2023, compared to 135,571 newborns, per CNA. Last year, 94,544 dogs and 137,652 cats were registered, with the latter surpassing infants by over 2,000.
In the past five years, although the number of pediatricians has increased, Taiwan's growth rate has slowed. According to statistics from Taiwan Medical Association, there were 3,077 pediatricians in 2022.
In 2023, there were 1,880 physicians specializing in caring for children under age 3, distributed among 1,048 medical institutions, providing care for 195,552 toddlers.
In contrast, the demand for veterinary care has grown. According to Hsu Jung-pin (徐榮彬), deputy director-general of the Ministry of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency, as of Feb. 29, there were 5,773 veterinarians across Taiwan, with as many as 69%, or 3,993 individuals, specializing in "companion animal medicine."
Higher proportions of veterinarians are found in urbanized areas. In Hsinchu, the proportion reaches as high as 89%, followed by New Taipei at 84.3%, Kaohsiung at 78.4%, Taoyuan at 76.7%, Taipei at 76.4%, Taichung at 76.1%, and Tainan at 70%.
Veterinarians serving companion animals have become the majority of veterinarians. More than half of the veterinarians in 13 counties and cities in Taiwan practice in animal hospitals or clinics. In the remaining nine counties and cities, the proportion ranges from 30% to 40%, while Kinmen County is at 11.8% and Lienchiang County is at 0%.
Yang Hsiao-po (楊孝柏), president of the Taipei Veterinary Medical Association, estimated that there are around 1,700 to 1,800 animal hospitals nationwide. However, industry projections suggested that by the end of 2024, this number will climb to 2,000.
Yang said pets can have a therapeutic effect on people and extend average human lifespans.
When he started his practice 22 years ago, he thought animal hospitals would mainly serve “elderly people bringing in their elderly dogs.” Now, around 70% of his income comes from treating pets for conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
