Education key to controlling strays

“I think the main thing is education because that's the only way to actually change people's attitudes towards animals,” says Kim Phillips, education coordinator at Animals Taiwan, a northern Taipei-based nonprofit organization.

“If people were more responsible about pet ownership and had their dogs spayed and neutered I think it would really help reduce the number of dogs that are on the streets,” she notes. Education is also important in dispelling some common misconceptions, says Phillips. “I think people here still have this perception that dogs from pet stores are cleaner and healthier than dogs from the shelter when in fact it's exactly the opposite. Street dogs are really healthy and strong and have good immune systems.”

“A lot of people in Taiwan are not aware that they can adopt a dog from a shelter, and I think a lot of people would adopt a dog if they actually thought about it,” she adds.

Caroline Tugwell, co-founder of Taichung Paws (People Animals Welfare Society), says she has even encountered some people who believe that “real pets” only come from pet shops, as opposed to adopting them from shelters.

“My questions to them are: 'Where do you think the pet shops get their cute kittens and puppies from?' and 'Where do you think all the shelter animals come from?' If they knew the answers to these questions they might not be so quick to judge,” she continues.

“We also encounter a lot of prejudices and superstitions about animals,” Tugwell adds, citing as example a common belief that dogs with white “socks” (paws) bring bad luck. “It's all very frustrating!”

Another belief that many share in Taiwan is that puppies make for better pets than older dogs, says Tugwell, who started the nonprofit organization about three years ago in central Taichung City.

“To be honest I really don't know why anyone would want a puppy!” she notes. “Granted they are cute, but they are so much trouble! They bite, scratch, cry, pee and poo everywhere and destroy your house ... Plus you don't know what kind of animal or personality they will have as they grow up.”

“Older dogs are more likely to be over the destructive phase and what you see is what you get. They are also more likely to be forever grateful to their new owner for rescuing them that they will do whatever they can to bond and please,” Tugwell explains.

Yen I-feng, director of the Taipei Municipal Institute for Animal Health (TMIAH), says that in countries like Japan and the United States, many people view adult dogs as more stable to adopt, but in Taiwan people do not share this notion yet.

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