Residents of Miaoli County’s Yuanli Township (苑裡) and Tainan’s North District (北區) are increasingly concerned after reports of large packs of stray dogs prowling the streets at night.
A submission from a reader of the Chinese-langauge Liberty Times, the sister newspaper of the Taipei Times, said that about 10 stray dogs hunted and killed a cat in Yuanli Township, while another pack of seven to eight stray dogs often chased cars and scooters along the Miao-28 County Road.
The submission found that many local residents felt scared of the barking dogs, voicing driving safety concerns as many feral packs have been seen chasing after scooters.
Photo: Taipei Times
The Miaoli County Animal Care and Health Office said a section of Miao-28 near the Wei Su Tunnel was among the 22 hotspots for stray dog congregation.
Animal control officers have been asked to step up patrols in the area and lay more live animal traps, the office said, adding that it would increase the number of personnel for patrols.
The office said that it had received 2,095 animal rescue and capture cases this year. It added that it has received five reports in the Miao-28 County Road area this year and captured three stray dogs, including on Wednesday afternoon.
Separately, residents in Tainan’s North District have complained about a large pack of stray dogs in the vicinity of Wen Yuan Elementary School, with parents concerned for the safety of the students.
The school said it would work with volunteers, the local neighborhood watch and the borough warden to keep students safe.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) and her sister, Tainan City Councilor Chen Yi-chen (陳怡珍), on Wednesday urged the Tainan Animal Health Inspection and Protection Office to step up “trap, neuter, vaccinate and return” measures.
The Tainan office said that the pack does not have a fixed time frame of activity, adding that it has been using enclosures, trap cages and tranquilizer guns to catch stray dogs.
It said that it has also put braces on dogs before returning them, which slow them down.
Actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛) has “returned home” to Taiwan, and there are no plans to hold a funeral for the TV star who died in Japan from influenza- induced pneumonia, her family said in a statement Wednesday night. The statement was released after local media outlets reported that Barbie Hsu’s ashes were brought back Taiwan on board a private jet, which arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. To the reporters waiting at the airport, the statement issued by the family read “(we) appreciate friends working in the media for waiting in the cold weather.” “She has safely returned home.
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