Animal Protection Act Q&A – Respecting Life, Protecting Animals (The Owner Segment)

Q: What is the owner’s liability to injured or sick animals?
A: Pet owners fail to provide injured or sick animals with necessary medical care and without curing such failure by the deadline given by the municipal or county (city) competent authority is punishable by a penalty fine of between NT$15,000 and NT$ 75,000, and also subject to a direct impoundment of whose animal. 

Q: Acts prohibited from being imposed onto animals?
A:
(1) Any fights between animals or between animals and people for direct or indirect gambling, entertainment, operation, advertisement or other improper purposes.
(2) Any animal contest for the purpose of direct or indirect gambling.
(3) Any maltreating behavior, exchange or bestowing of animals for the purpose of direct and indirect gambling or other improper purposes. 

Q: Is there penalty clause for recklessly abandoning animals?
A: Pet owners shall not abandon animals they keep, but may send the animals to animal shelters or places designated by the municipal or county (city) competent authority. Abandoning animals that cause serious injuries to or death of animals, offenders shall be subject to imprisonment up to one year. Abandoning animals and cause damage to the ecology, offenders shall be punished by a penalty fine of between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000. Abandoning animals without causing damage to the ecology, offenders shall be punished by a penalty fine of between NT$15,000 and NT$75,000. 

Q: What are the stipulations governing bringing an animal to a public places?
A: When entering public places or places accessible to the public, pets shall be accompanied by people over seven years old, and violators who refuse to improve despite dissuasion are punishable by a penalty fine between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000. When entering public places or places accessible to the public, aggressive pets shall be accompanied by adults and appropriate preventive measures shall be taken, and violators are punishable by a penalty fine between NT$30,000 to NT$150,000. 

Q: Is there penalty clause for failing to file a registration for a pet?
A: As stipulated under Article 4 of the Pet Registration Management Measure, an owner is to file for a pet registration within four months from the pet’s date of birth. Those failing to file for a pet birth, acquisition, transfer, loss or death registration within the prescribed deadline per the Pet Registration Management Measure and refuse to adopt improvement despite persuasion are punishable by a penalty fine between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000, and also subject to repeated penalty per offence.

Q: What is the owner’s liability on the animal under his/her care?
A:
(1) Adequate food, water and sufficient room for the animal to move around
(2) A safe, shaded, ventilated, illuminated, warm and clean living environment
(3) Necessary prevention and cure of statutory animal infectious diseases (Rabies)
(4) Protection against vicious or unjustified disturbance, maltreatment or harm
(5) Other appropriate care
The owner, when found breaching the foresaid stipulations, is punishable by a penalty fine between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000, and may also subject to publishing the owner’s name or photograph; if subjecting an animal to critical injuries or casualty, it is punishable by an imprisonment term of up to one year. 

Q: Is there an age limitation for a citizen to keep a pet animal?
A:
(1) The age of the owner of a pet animal is limited to the age of 20.
(2) Of those under the age of 20 keeping a pet animal, the legal agent or the legal guardian is to act as the owner. 

Q: When has the Animal Protection Act been inducted? What animals are protected by it?
A:
(1) The legislation has been announced and inducted since November 4, 1998, and has undergone eight amendments thus far.
(2) Referring to domesticated canines, felines and other vertebrate animals that are kept or adopted by humans. 

Q: What is the purpose of promulgating the Animal Protection Act?
A: The Animal Protection Act has been expressly introduced in a bid to respect animal life and protect animals.