Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘), an independent presidential candidate, said Taiwan’s demographic crisis could be solved by giving new parents a cat or dog.
In an early sign of how his campaign might run, Gou told attendees at a Taipei temple on Friday that the declining birthrate could be addressed by giving new parents a cat or dog.
Taiwan has one of the world’s lowest birthrates, with many people citing the high cost of living, difficulties in accessing childcare and traditional gender expectations.
Photo: CNA
Meanwhile pet ownership is skyrocketing, with anecdotal reports suggesting many couples are choosing animals over children. However, Gou felt people could be motivated to take on both.
“Give birth to a child and I will let you raise one more pet,” he said, according to a translation by Formosa TV. “A cat, a dog. Give birth to two, and I will let you adopt two more.”
Getting a pet does not require government permission.
Gou said he had recently visited an animal shelter and felt that two issues could be solved together.
“If the birthrate falls too low in the future, who will take care of our furry friends?” he told reporters later. “So I hope to tackle these two issues together. You cannot expect me, one person, to propose a complete policy for every little matter. Adding and multiplying love, that is my goal.”
The proposal was criticized by some Democratic Progressive Party politicians and animal welfare groups.
Gou said that during the last presidential election, he had proposed government subsidies for childbearing costs up to the age of six, but it was not implemented.
Gou’s campaign has been contacted for comment.
Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals senior vice president Jason Baker said: “Animals are not gifts or prizes; they are living, feeling beings who require proper love, care, and attention for a lifetime.”
“Adopting an animal is an important decision that should be made carefully,” he said. “This responsibility may prove too much for people who are already taking care of a new baby, and they may end up taking the animals to already overburdened local shelters — or worse, abandoning them outdoors to fend for themselves.”
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