Vouchers program lifts registration of pets, official says
By Esme Yeh / Staff reporter
A lottery for vouchers has helped increase the number of registered cats and dogs nationwide by 18,500, Animal Welfare Department Deputy Director Chen Chung-hsing (陳中興) said yesterday.
As of the end of last month, about 2.73 million cats and dogs had been registered by their owners, Chen said.
People completed registration for an additional 18,500 pets after the Ministry of Agriculture on Aug. 25 launched the vouchers draw, he said.
A dog wears a tutu during the Taipei Pets Show at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center on July 3.
Photo: CNA
To enter the draw for the vouchers, people had to complete the registration of their cat or dog, or confirm a registration completed prior to the start of the voucher campaign, he said, with people limited to one entry each.
The Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) stipulates that owners can be fined NT$3,000 to NT$15,000 if they fail to register their cats or dogs aged four months or older.
Nearly 33,000 pet owners had entered the lottery as of Wednesday, Chen said.
Winners are eligible for one of 30,000 vouchers, as well as 100 pet health checkup reimbursement vouchers, the department said.
The NT$300 vouchers can be used to buy pet food or other supplies, or agricultural products at any of the 436 stores operated by collaborating businesses or associations, it said.
Winners of the checkup vouchers can take their dog or cat to a veterinary clinic for a health check or medical treatment, it said, adding that the voucher can be submitted to the department for up to a NT$3,000 reimbursement.
Lottery entries are open until Wednesday next week, it said.
The draw would be livestreamed on the YouTube channel of the ministry’s Animal Protection Information Network on Friday next week, it said.
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