The Australian Firefighters Calendar on Friday toured the Pingtung County Animal Shelter and donated NT$200,000 to the sanctuary, doubling the amount the charitable group originally pledged.
The Pingtung County Animal Shelter is a local, government-run animal rescue center, and the only one in the nation to integrate facilities for cats and dogs, a veterinarian clinic, pet stylist and behavioral training designed to maximize adoption rates, the county government said.
The shelter owns close to 3.75 hectares and is furnished with living quarters for cats and dogs that encourage socialization, it said.
Photo: Lo Hsin-chen, Taipei Times
The shelter’s head vet, Lee Po-ning (李伯寧), a Pingtung native, made the arrangement for the Australian firefighters’ visit after reaching out to the group’s manager, David Rogers.
Fire Rescue Victoria senior station officer David Moore headed the group’s delegation, which consisted of firefighters, Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan executive director Glenn Lio, and former Trade and Investment Queensland Taiwan Office representative Patrick Hafenstein.
The Australian Firefighter Calendar, printed annually for various charitable causes, received a higher-than-expected amount of donations from members of the public, Lee’s clinic, the Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan and the Australian Multicultural Education Centre, Lio said.
The Pingtung County Animal Shelter is deserving of the public’s support as a safe harbor and beacon of hope for the county’s stray animals, Moore said, adding that they are glad to help street cats and dogs find new homes.
The Pingtung County Government is grateful for the show of support for charity and socially responsible enterprise from the firefighters, Pingtung Information and International Affairs Department head Yin Feng-lan (鄞鳳蘭) said.
Taiwan Association of Dog Lovers chairwoman Yen Hsing-chuan (顏杏娟) said she hopes the gesture would inspire Taiwanese to take better care of animal welfare.
The donation would be utilized to improve the standard of living for animals in the shelter, the Pingtung Department of Agriculture said, adding that the county would continue to work with international groups to promote animal welfare and charities.
The firefighters yesterday played a friendship match of beach volleyball with Pingtung firefighters before wrapping up their stay in the county with a visit to the Kan Hai Art Museum.
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