Beware of illegal animal hotel operators for holidays: TMIAH

So far this year, the TMIAH has fined seven animal hotels in the city that were operating without the required license, said Yen I-feng, director of the institute. Operators of illegal animal hotels face fines ranging from NT$50,000 to NT$150,000.

Yen said animal hotels are required to display their licenses either on their entrances or in clearly visible areas, so the public should make sure to check first before leaving their pets to their care.

Another way of making sure an animal hotel is recognized by the TMIAH is to verify if it is listed on the institute’s Web site (http://www.tmiah.tcg.gov.tw), he suggested.

“Currently, we only require licenses from those pet stores that engage in the purchase and sale of dogs, as well as dog breeders and animal hotels that house canines,” Yen explained to The China Post recently.

Pet stores that sell animals other than canines, as well as those that offer pet spa and beauty services, do not require a special permit, at least for now.

“We are looking into implementing the same regulations in the future for pet businesses that deal with cats as well,” said Yen. He added that while the institute’s efforts in reducing the number of stray dogs has paid off, the number of stray cats by comparison has risen in recent years.

Taipei City has about 200 to 300 pet stores, and the TMIAH has issued 52 licenses for pet shops and animal hotels, Yen pointed out. Of the licensed pet stores, the TMIAH conducts follow-up checkups on a yearly basis.

Often, violators are either ambulatory vendors or online pet businesses, explained the director. Yen said hot spots for illegal trading of pets in the city are night markets as well as the Jianguo Flower Market, where unlicensed vendors often carry a dog or two in a bag and pretend to be taking the animal for a walk.

The TMIAH relies mostly on people who call in to report the illegal acts, as manpower is scarce at only six staff members dedicated to animal protection efforts. While volunteers, TMIAH administrative staff, and even police officers also help out, Yen admits this is still not enough.

Recognizing this shortage of manpower, plans to form an animal rescue team as well as increase the number of staff are under way, he said. “We will start looking for new members in February or March of next year, and train them adequately in animal protection laws and regulations.” Over the next two years, the TMIAH also plans to take over the Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection’s stray dog operations and dog-catching units, he noted.

Anyone who is aware of illegal pet operations is asked to report these to the TMIAH at (02) 8789-7158.

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