The Ministry of Agriculture today said it is already working to solve issues related to wildlife conservation called out by the Walk for Wildlife Alliance, which is holding its second annual parade on Sunday.
The alliance’s first demand is to improve management and reduce the number of stray cats and dogs, calling for clarity on the definition of pet ownership, field investigations and re-evaluation of “trap, neuter, return” strategies.
Its second demand is to strengthen the management of stray dogs in biodiversity hotspots, advocating to keep these areas dog-free and enforce feeding bans.
Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Taipei Times
Its third demand is to improve public awareness of wildlife conservation and pet welfare, and include dogs and cats as invasive species in curricula to make education more comprehensive.
The key problem is the limited capacity of local government to implement wildlife protection measures in biodiversity hotspots, Department of Animal Welfare Deputy Director Chen Chung-hsing (陳中興) said in an interview.
The ministry implemented a plan to relocate stray dogs in nine designated hotspots for leopard cats starting in October last year in an effort to protect the endangered species, he said.
The plan requires owners to register and neuter their dogs and stipulates that if a dog’s owner cannot be found, the dog should be captured and relocated, Chen said.
The ministry, which opposes feeding all animals, is working with local governments to promote feeding bans in these hotspots, but since “biodiversity hotspot” is not a legal term, governments must impose fines on feeding based on the Waste Disposal Act (廢棄物清理法), he said.
The ministry has also helped local governments that manage biodiversity hotspots increase space for stray dogs, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said.
The public is increasingly aware that stray cats and dogs can be harmful to wildlife, but the problem cannot be solved with a single measure, Lin said.
“The issue must be tackled systematically, with efforts from multiple angles, and different organizations must reach a consensus to resolve the issue,” he said.
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