Pets in Taiwan
Benny
By Mina Sharpe, Director, Taipei Abandoned Animal Rescue Foundation

Whether you are an animal lover or not, one thing you will notice immediately upon arriving in Taiwan are the mass numbers of stray dogs. According to the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Taiwan is the worst place in the world for stray animals. There are no humane societies or animal shelters for the strays- only “pounds”, usually located on top of garbage dumps. Despite these setbacks, things are slowly getting better in Taiwan for strays.  However mass numbers of free-roaming strays are a common sight, though they very rarely pose a safety threat. Because a great number of strays in Taiwan were formerly house pets that were later dumped onto the streets, most are very friendly, and will happily follow you right into your house, and your hearts.

Adopting a Stray in Taiwan
Any animal lover in Taiwan will have their hearts wrenched by the strays. There are a few groups dedicated to helping them. The Taipei Abandoned Animal Rescue Foundation is Taiwan’s only no-kill, non-profit animal rescue organization, dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and placement of stray dogs in Taiwan. Founded and managed by students and teachers at the Taipei American School, as well as others in the expatriate and local communities, T-AARF has rescued and found homes for over 500 stray animals in Taiwan.

Animals under T-AARF’s care can be seen by potential adopters at many functions that take place at the Taipei American School, as well as by appointment. T-AARF is always in need of donations to help continue it’s work, as well as looking for adoptive and temporary homes for animals in its care. Animals seeking homes are housed at the Yang-Ming Veterinary Clinic in Tien Mu. All animals adopted from T-AARF have been spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, negative for heartworm and on prevention and fully healthy.

Caring for Pets in Taiwan
If you have brought your pet in from another country, or have let a Taiwan stray adopt you, there are a few things that every pet owner should know about caring for their pets in Taiwan.

There are many vets in Taiwan, however the quality of care that is given varies widely. The Taipei Abandoned Animal Rescue Foundation highly recommends the Yang-Ming Veterinary Clinic in Tien Mu for all of your pets medical needs. The staff of Yang-Ming speaks excellent English, and can be of great help to expatriates looking for an experienced, qualified veterinarian to treat their pet.

Heartworm is, as in many places, rampant in Taiwan. If you are bringing your dog in from another country, have your normal vet run a heartworm test, and provide you with ample heartworm prevention drugs (usually in the form of once month pills). If you have a dog from Taiwan, it is recommended that you have him tested as soon as possible. If the test is negative, he should be immediately started on the prevention, and kept on it year round. If positive, your vet will discuss with you the treatment options for your pet.

Identification is also very important. Should your pet ever get lost, the surest way to bring him home is by microchip. This device can be implanted into your dog from a veterinarian in Taiwan, who will then enter your dogs contact information into a central computer. Should your dog ever be picked up, he will be checked for a microchip, and returned to you. 

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