China Post 12/17/03: Dog meat ban strengthened in Taiwan

December 17, 2003

The China Post, Taiwan Wednesday, December 17, 2003

Legislative Yuan passes law banning the sale of dog meat

The China Post Staff

The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed new rules in the Animal

Protection Law to ban killing and selling dogs as well as other pets

as foods. Fines for violators will be 25 times the present level.

A total of 56 lawmakers of various political parties took

initiative to bring up the new revisions that won endorsement from

their colleagues in the legislature.

Lacking real teeth, the old regulations in the law only

prohibit the butchering and selling pet meats without giving police

or other law enforcement agents to punish violators.

The previous meager fines of between NT$2,000 and NT$10,000

failed to stop the traditional practice of eating dog and other

prohibited meat in Taiwan, especially during the winter season.

But the new rules empower law enforcement agents to directly

file charges and levy fines to any persons and restaurants violating

the rules.

The fines will be increased sharply to a range between

NT$50,000 to NT$250,000. The perpetrators will face consecutive fines

until they repeat the practice.

In view of the lack of funds at the local-level governments,

the Council of Agriculture is required to provide the budget to help

county and city governments set up animal shelters and handle stray

pets.

Animal lovers gave kudos to the ratification of the

enforcement rules and harsher punishments to violators. Members of an

association of canine lovers in Taichung County uncovered late Monday

night six pet dogs snatched by people who planned to sell them to

restaurants.

Although they never put the dog meat dishes on their menus,

restaurants in Linkou, Taipei county are notorious for secretly

offering dog meat, which are thought capable of warding off illnesses.

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