The Legislative Yuan yesterday launched a parliamentary association promoting animal welfare.
Headed by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Jean Kuo (郭昱晴), the association consists of 32 lawmakers from across party lines, including DPP legislators Lin Yueh-chin (林月琴), Lee Kuen-cheng (李坤城) and Michelle Lin (林楚茵), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞) and DPP legislative caucus secretary-general Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤).
DPP Legislator Lai Hui-yuan (賴惠員) is the vice president.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
A number of animal rights groups and veterinary associations were also invited to join.
The association would focus on five critical issues: laboratory animals, exhibited animals, economic animals, wild animals and companion animals, Kuo said.
To incentivize institutions to improve laboratory animal welfare, targeted reward and punishment standards should be incorporated into the appraisal system, she said.
Disclosure conditions for products involving the use of laboratory animals should be established to inform consumers and reduce misunderstandings about animal experimentation, she said.
For exhibited animals, the authorities should inspect and give guidance to organizations that exhibit animals, she added.
As new forms of animal exhibitions and other commercial activities related to animals are emerging, more regulations on exhibited animals should be introduced to ensure the industry meets animal welfare standards to protect the animals’ quality of life, Kuo added.
Likewise, more regulations should be introduced to drive the transition to animal-friendly breeding and green agriculture for economic animals, she said.
Rewards should be given to those who replace traditional farming practices with eco-friendly farming techniques, not only to promote animal welfare, but to improve agriculture productivity, Kuo said.
In terms of wild animals, policies should be implemented to remedy deficiencies in wildlife conservation, she said, adding that a plan is needed to enhance ecological sustainability.
More regulations are also needed to better administer the thriving animal companion economy in the areas of trade, food, medical services and pet insurance, she added.
The top priority is to implement more stringent regulations on pet registration, sterilization and improper rearing, and increase pet owners’ accountability, she said.
Taiwan Veterinary Medical Association chairman David Tan (譚大倫) said that people’s care for animals transcends party affiliations and ideology, adding that he was happy to be part of the association as a veterinarian.
Department of Animal Welfare Director Chiang Wen-chuan (江文全) said the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) was established more than 20 years ago and has been amended 15 times.
That indicates that animal rights and welfare are important to society, although regulations are not yet comprehensively comparable with those of Western countries, he said.
He said that his department would continue to seek optimal solutions for the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.
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