There have been many times when my wife and I have come upon a beautiful stray pup and would have loved to have taken it home. But the huge responsibility of looking after a pet, especially when living in a small apartment, is far too daunting for us. What happens when we leave Taiwan or who will look after the dog when we travel are some of the minor issues. I applaud those who can manage to effectively look after a stray in this environment.
I know that there are people who eat dogs/cats in Taiwan, but from what I’ve heard it’s a tiny percentage of the population who mainly live in the countryside. It’s not the same prevalence as in other Asian countries, for if it were, Taiwan sure wouldn’t have a stray problem, would it?
I think that’s kind of a cruel way of killing an animal. Why not give it cyanide. Is cyanide easily available in drug stores? Or maybe sleeping pills.
There is a great site atThe Pet Care Forum that provides a place to post questions that will be answered by at least one vet from somewhere in the US. Previous post are also very illuminating.
i got a kitten one week ago from a pet shop. i have two questions. they said they would give her the shots there. shoul i trust them or take her to a vet? and secondly, i need a good vet anyway to get her spayed. also, do they declaw here in taiwan? i am looking around the internet, but pretty much all of the vet sites are in chinese. i am in hsintien, so a good vet near here or near any mrt station would be fine. thanks!
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Go to Minchuan MRT station, go out of the main entrance, turn left, cross the footbridge over Chengde Road (do not cross Minquan West Road,) keep on going and you will soon come across a vet’s surgery.
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Shida area - There is a vet’s surgery on Xinsheng South Road between the mosque and the Heping East Road junction, nearer the mosque. I had to take my dog there for an abortion because the Minquan West Road guy wouldn’t do it: 萬國家畜醫院 新生南路二段80-3號1樓 No. 80-3, Section 2, Xinsheng South Road Tel: 2396 5136
Sorry, I don’t know how much English these vets speak.
Here is a full list of vets in Taibei:
醫院名稱 地址 電話
[二劃]
人人愛犬醫院 延吉街46-3號 25778181
[三劃]
三民動物醫院 三民路101巷1號 27534954
上群動物醫院 光復南路290巷45號 27753007
大同動物醫院 北投中央北路二段112號 28959607
大東動物醫院 東園街158號 23098379
大眾家畜醫院 重慶北路三段11號 25861518
大業動物醫療中心 北投大業路394號 28935372
士林獸醫院 士林區中正路385號 28822193
士東獸醫院 士林士東路260號 28345969
士新動物醫院 士東路39號 28712529
凡賽爾賽鴿醫院 民族西路41號 25869933
[四劃]
中山動物醫院 民權東路三段140巷5號 27196996
中心動物醫院 仁愛路四段407-1號 27410443
中正犬貓醫院 重慶南路三段60-4號2樓 23054880
中美獸醫院 瑞安街180巷2號 27017500
中華動物醫院 士林文林路311號 28827381
中國獸醫院 濟南路二段71號 23512316
中興動物醫院 延平北路六段245號 28113970
天母家畜醫院 中山北路六段314號 28315677
仁心動物醫院 民生東路五段47號 27681768 27616267
仁慈動物醫院 北安路571-8號 25066983
日健動物醫院 光復北路6-2號 25791949 25707508
內湖動物醫院 內湖路一段45號 27992011
五洲獸醫院 新生南路一段141-1號 27079477
文逸動物醫院 和平東路三段391巷8弄27號 27322254
木新動物醫院 木新路三段106號 29362784
[五劃]
石牌家畜醫院 承德路七段112巷10號 28238459
北投動物醫院 北投區中央北路二段60-1號 28928665
北新獸醫院 羅斯福路五段172號4樓 29310690
正安動物醫院 民權西路240號 25571757
正興獸醫院 興隆路二段95巷5-1號 29340922
世安動物醫院 興隆路三段298-2號 22306841
台灣動物醫院 忠孝東路二段74號 23412128
立安動物醫院 承德路四段344號 28831394
[六劃]
西湖動物醫院 內湖路一段341-2號 27990700 27992010
百科家畜醫院 北投石牌路二段10號 28214942
百威動物醫院 北投中和街288號 28910951
百齡寵物醫院 重慶北路四段250號 28131055
自強動物醫院 興隆路四段108號1樓 29372852
安安動物醫院 松德路57號 27281315
安迪動物醫院 西園路二段216號 23055518
安泰動物醫院 重慶北路三段188號 25956892
弘吉獸醫院 復興南路一段86號 27410958
弘安動物醫院 五常街69號 25045630
全安動物醫院 東湖路113巷54號 26336995 26336495
全民動物醫院 寧夏路45巷6號 25573464
全陽動物醫療中心 八德路四段305號1樓 27627945
全國動物醫院 內湖文德路93號 26578019
名人動物醫院 仁愛路四段48巷23號 27064987
名冠動物醫院 中坡南路203號 27590447
成功犬貓綜合醫院 民權西路110號1樓 25538001
向陽動物醫院 健康路282號 27601014
再興動物醫院 興隆路四段45號 29384831 29382978
[七劃]
貝貝家畜醫院 明德路150巷30號 28261000
宏益犬貓醫院 永吉路128號 27614003
見安獸醫院 四維路170巷45號 27070989
良友動物醫院 吳興街19號 27232369
良醫動物醫院 八德路四段188號 27615091
佑昇動物醫院 南昌路二段190號 23656729
辰龍動物醫院 吳興街478號 27584351
[八劃]
來旺動物醫院 重慶南路三段50號 23051120
來來動物醫院 木柵路二段88號 29365332 29366997
旺旺動物醫院 石牌路一段174號 28235100
東宏家畜醫院 吉林路432號 25957366 25967369
東南家畜醫院 羅斯福路三段181號 23626813
松山動物醫院 八德路四段363號 27623341
佳欣動物醫院 內湖路二段383號 27946126
佳明動物醫院 青年路164號 23091394
和平綜合動物醫院 羅斯福路二段7-4號 23947349
忠孝動物醫院 忠孝東路六段464號 26511877
忠誠獸醫院 忠誠路一段18號 28351390
怡安動物醫院 南京東路五段291巷6弄21號 27673290
金旺動物醫院 青島東路33-2號 23212580
昌展動物醫院 延平北路六段183號 28169197
欣佳動物醫院 忠孝東路五段768號 27285261
欣旺寵物醫院 松山路265號 27617985 27618013
欣陽動物醫院 忠誠路二段4號 28344216
長虹動物醫院 天母北路47號1樓 28729808
育盛動物醫院 松德路22號 23450122
延吉動物醫院 延吉街20-2號 25786698
[九劃]
保安獸醫院 忠孝東路三段217巷6弄21-1號 27754771
保全獸醫院 萬大路104號 23024375
信達寵物醫院 士林華齡街22巷15弄5號 28812150
美加瑗寵物醫院 龍江路443巷1-2號 25054989
哈佛動物醫院 樂利路57號1樓 27366176
厚德動物醫院 台北市華齡街54號 28831716
飛羚動物醫院 中山北路七段163號 28730728
南港家畜醫院 南港區三重路19-1號 27820181
[十劃]
益源獸醫院 羅斯福路三段244巷10弄4號 23686190
華欣家畜醫院 復興南路二段17號1樓 27054895 27088357
華德動物醫院 和平東路三段26號 23780228
華僑犬貓醫院 和平西路三段261-2號 23088727
泰安動物醫院 和平東路三段377號 27364220
泰興動物醫院 廣州街71號 23085172
[十一劃]
符動物醫院 忠誠路二段146號 28741862
現代家畜醫院 中山北路五段38號 28811244
專心動物醫院 新生南路三段7-1號 23637108
康福動物醫院 瑞安街135巷23號 27074075
康泰寵物醫院 內湖康樂街164號 26313068
康寧動物醫院 長沙街二段138號 23113363
健生動物醫院 成功路四段182巷8弄4號 27934949
健康動物醫院 健康路238號 27601818
唯安動物醫院 承德路四段22號 25947695
晨光動物醫院 重慶北路二段27號 25583347
港漧動物醫院 港漧路109-2號 26575990
陳氏動物醫院 安和路二段171巷13號1樓 27385335
陳犬貓專科醫院 延吉街64號 27218227 27410508
梁動物內科醫院 忠孝東路二段29號 23969750
國際犬貓專科醫院 民生東路一段12號 25716925
[十二劃]
敦化動物醫院 敦化南路一段279號 27080284
陽光犬貓專科醫院 忠孝東路五段711號 27623267
陽明家畜醫院 天母東路1-6號 28726911
董順富獸醫院 信義路三段99巷11號1樓 27020135
貴族豐采動物醫院 農安街72號 25970625
萬安犬貓醫院 萬大路510號 23092469
湖光動物醫院 文德路163號 27985005
復興獸醫院 復興南路一段13號 27711414
博愛家畜醫院 博愛路189號 23315594
萬國家畜醫院 新生南路二段80-3號1樓 23965136
[十三劃]
新生寵物醫院 錦州街108號 25638819
圓山動物醫院 酒泉街129號 25997363 25914753
慈心動物醫院 和平東路一段200號 23623017
福德獸醫院 信義區福德街79-1號 27285391
福臨動物醫院 中山北路五段698巷3號 28313919
楊動物醫院 中山北路六段368號 28717261
聖心動物醫院 文德路9號 27987942
黃動物醫院 民生東路二段63號 25624249
隆記愛犬醫院 民生東路五段63號 27607639
新東獸醫院 忠孝東路五段189號 27656189
[十四劃]
嘉德動物醫院 延平北路六段129號 28150061 28326086
漢民動物醫院 和平西路一段156號 23074801
遠東家畜醫院 林森北路67巷150弄16號 25411693
[十五劃以上]
廣明獸醫院 民生東路二段108號 25639515
廣慈動物醫院 錦州街332號 23044236
德一動物醫院 羅斯福路五段277號 29351638
德生動物醫院 永康街7巷2號 23926569
興安動物醫院 興安街75號 25048179
興隆獸醫院 興隆路三段257號 22308933
錦州家畜醫院 錦州街260號 25045508 25028874
聯合家畜醫院 北投裕民一路40巷29號 28221670
環南寵物醫院 環河南路二段52號 23020209
鴻運動物醫院 永吉路188號 27672730
雙連動物醫院 南京西路25巷54-1號 25582357
龍江獸醫院 龍江路61號 27722223
豐茂動物醫院 北投實踐街64號一樓 28210824
豐德動物醫院 莊敬路235號 27588292
寶寶動物醫院 汀州路二段125號 23677624
躍犬綜合動物醫院 景文街88號 29330963
資料來源：台北市獸醫師公會會員名冊，中華民國八十五年三月
A woman sent me an e-mail with an idea that I promised I’d present to you all. She wrote that if you all (I’d help, but I’m in the U.S. right now…will be in Taiwan in several months) found a decent shelter near where you live, help raise funds (This may be difficult, but it’s worth a try.), and volunteer a few hours each week, you may be able to start improving the lives of the animal population (Except for the cockroaches…I say you get a bulldozer and run over the critters–it may take that to kill them). Hopefully, by doing this or getting a bulldozer to kill the cockroaches, you may either get some press, or at the very least, gain some attention and start drawing some competition.
If you think about it, it wouldn’t require that much effort to make a big difference in these animals’ lives. They need medical attention, food, shelter, and a little compassion. If you show the community that you care, little by little (I know there may be some resistance, but over time, I think you might see some change) you may be able to make a difference.
Peter
Nice idea, Peter. Maybe this could be your first project when you get here.
I’m in two minds about people keepingpets for their own pleasure, especially in apartments.
I think what HAS to be done abotu pets and strays in Taiwan is a compelte ban on the sale of kittens and puppies. Exceptions would be a small number of lisenced animal breeders. People who wanted pets would have to take them from the pound or off the street. Pets would be lisenced and sterilisation would be compulsory except for lisenced breeders. Also you wouldn’t be able to buy kittens and puppies. Full grown animals only, so you don’t get the “it was so cute when it was little but it’s too big now” thing. Finally, the lisencing and sterilisation would have to be kept cheap - subsidised even - to avoid the situation you have in Beijing with a black market and loads of illegal animals. And make caging illegal.
Bri
Mark, I’ll make sure to do that, along with saving mankind and curing cancer That aside, it isn’t exactly a bad idea. I’m not saying everyone has time or an interest in this. It’s just a suggestion. If one or two who read my post think it’s a good idea and have some time, that seems better to me than nothing at all.
Peter
Bri, what would happen if you found a puppy on the street? Your regulations say we couldn’t keep him, as he’s a puppy. Only grown up dogs remember. Do we watch him develop from a puppy into a malnutritioned older dog, then take him in?
Also, about the licenced breeders. Who would be eligable to buy from them? Would my future kids qualify? Thus being able to grow up and learn about being responsible for their own (family) dog?
Furthermore, I’m sure a lot of people would rather a beagle or god help me, chihuaha, rather than a Taiwanese blacky grey mongrel bred.
Here’s a very interesting article about the way dogs are handled at animal shelters in Taiwan. It is a first-hand report written by “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals” (PETA):
http://www.peta-online.org/feat/taiwan/report/index.html
It’s quite a shock to read about how horrible the conditions are at animal shelters here in Taiwan. The article describes how dogs at animal shelters in Taiwan are put into cages by wrapping sharp wire nooses around their necks (the workers never touch the dogs), dogs are rarely treated for their illnesses, dog’s feces often aren’t cleaned up and get mixed in with their water and food, corpses of dead dogs are left in their cages to rot, most cages have widely spaced bars on the floor which makes it very difficult for the dogs to stand up, and almost all of the shelters are located at garbage landfill areas.
Here’s pictures of dogs at animal shelters in Taiwan who resorted to cannibilism because of starvation. (Warning: very graphic!)
Oh that was extremely nasty. After all this international media attention on the stray problems, how could Taiwanese citizens and city officials allow this to continue to happen? I thought they were going to improve the situation. The govt. can’t afford friggin’ dog food??? How could anyone working at those shelters stomach that.
Put up a couple more warning signs!!! That’s gross. Sick…but could it be worse than the way dogs at “Dog Soup” shops near Tao Yuan are treated?
The trouble is, the “personnel” at animal shelters are not proud of their jobs; working in such a place is on par with picking up garbage (you’ll notice that the “shelters” here are mainly located near refuse dumps rather than in pleasant conditions that would promote adoption). Because shelter workers don’t feel good about what they do when they go home, and most are admittedly afraid of dogs, there’s no incentive or reason to treat animals well or humanely. And when has the Taiwanese government ever said anything for any reason than to achieve some credit and get people off its back? Especially “bleeding heart” westerners…
I think it’s a great idea, especially in the south, to start such a group, but where would we begin? If anyone in ChiaYi (Jiai?) has any ideas, please message me and perhaps we can brainstorm a bit or try to get this off the ground. Perhaps selling English workbooks we wrote ourselves or something? Geez, it must be getting late; listen to me!
On an unrelated note, does anyone know of any facilities that treat or specialise in cats?
The problem will only be solved when Taiwanese stop buying dogs to keep as ornaments in cages on their balconies.
Unfortunately the only method of dealing with the problem of the dying dogs in the street is an annual cull Hong Kong style. Why do you think there are so few strays in Hong Kong ? When any type of animal, even dogs, become an infestation (which is what you have basically in Taipei) then they become pests. Of course, a cull is the easy option. The difficult option is effective dog licensing.
Instead of a cull, why not neuter and spay the animals on the street and provide them with some care (medical, food, shelter, etc.) and compassion? Over a decade or two, the population will dramatically decrease, and you won’t have to kill any animals to let that happen.
Peter
Decade or two? Who can wait that long. Something needs to be done about those dogs eating each other at the shelters now. I say exterminate all the sickly unhealthy ones and try to adopt the rest of them off. Then ban all animals for sale for several years until the public gets reeducated and shelter systems are improved.
Well, while we’re at it, why don’t we exterminate the sickly children and adopt out only the healthy ones? Let’s just put them out of their misery. Why spend the money on the sick child? Because people care about them, and there are people who care about these animals.
I’m not suggesting domesticated animals are the same as children to everyone, but they deserve humane treatment. I don’t believe killing a domesticated animal is the right solution when we have the ability to improve the quality of their lives and provide them with some compassion. I know there are a lot of people out there who either care less about these animals, or just don’t want to see them walking around the streets and sick. I agree with the last part of that, but I just don’t believe killing them is right when we can improve their lives. I can’t count the number of people I know (including Taiwanese and myself) who love domesticated animals and whose lives have benefited from them. I would rather see these animals neutered, spayed, and given some compassion and cared for, than kill them.
Peter