Taiwan builds long-term care facility for stray dogs, supported by WDA's mobile kennel

As human lifespans increase year by year, so do pet dogs. According to Taipei City statistics, the average lifespan of pet dogs has increased from 10 to 14 years. As a result, attention is being paid to the care of elderly dogs. As early as 2016, Taipei City formulated the Taipei City Animal Care Facility Consultation Guidelines, encouraging businesses such as veterinary clinics and pet hotels to become long-term pet care facilities. However, the service is mostly for beloved dogs that are loved by their owners. So, can stray dogs that are old, sick, and disabled also benefit from this? The New Taipei City Animal Protection Bureau answered in the affirmative.

The New Taipei City Animal Protection Bureau, which owns eight "animal shelters," decided to convert Neuter Animal Home into a long-term care facility to house stray dogs that are difficult to adopt due to their age or illness. The building optimization and improvement project is scheduled to begin in March 2024 and be completed in August 2025. During the 18-month construction period, mobile kennels donated by the World Dog Alliance served as a temporary home for 250 dogs, keeping them company through the cold and rainy autumn and winter.

Forty sets of mobile kennels donated by the World Dog Lover Alliance provided temporary shelter for 250 stray dogs while the Chung Wo Animal Home undertook optimisation and improvement work.

With over 140,000 stray dogs still roaming the streets and wild in Taiwan, should old, sick or disabled dogs be kept in animal shelters? Or should they be euthanized to free up enclosures for younger, healthier dogs who may be adopted? This is actually an issue with many different and opposing views.

Proponents believe that from a humanitarian perspective, just as elderly, sick, and disabled "people" have a right to life, dogs should also have a right to life. A dog's old age, infirmity, or disability should not be used as a reason to euthanize, unless a veterinarian determines that the dog is seriously ill and needs to be euthanized. Opponents are naturally pragmatic, believing that it would be more effective to care for young, healthy dogs than to devote care resources to old, sick, or disabled dogs.

At the end of January 2025, staff from the World Dog Alliance visited the neutering animal home to inspect the use of 40 sets of mobile dog kennels. They also saw more than 10 old, sick and disabled dogs sitting or lying down while sunbathing in the park, enjoying the warm weather. They do not bark or howl, and most of the time they approach people and ask to be petted. The worst-case scenario old and sick dogs were lying in strollers and seemed to be enjoying the moment. Dr. Huang Jiting, who is in charge of the care of the animals, said that although the animals can no longer walk, they try hard to eat when food is in front of them, showing a strong desire to survive, so they are not considering euthanizing them.

The optimization and improvement project of the neutering home is being carried out in stages. The renovation of the cattery and long-term care center has been completed. The prototype of a long-term care center can be seen. Each dog has its own living space. In the future, hydrotherapy treadmills, rehabilitation aids and other equipment will be added, making it comparable to private long-term pet care centers.

Many county and city shelters in Taiwan have implemented "paid abandonment" programs, where people who are unable or unwilling to care for elderly, sick or disabled dogs at home can surrender their beloved dogs to the government for a very low fee, hence the name "paid abandonment." Director of the New Taipei City Animal Protection Bureau, Yang Shufang, said that the main purpose of the long-term care center at the animal shelter is education, and he hopes that through on-site visits and observations, owners will learn to sympathize with and care for the physical and mental condition of elderly, sick or disabled dogs, thereby reducing the abandonment rate.

Will the Neutering Animal Home Long-Term Care Facility achieve the expected results and encourage pet owners to take on the responsibility of caring for their children for life? The results will be clear after August. I hope that more childcare centers and part-time workers will be created in the private sector to share the owners' hardships and better realize the ideal of "pets are part of the family."