The Health Inspection Office recently collaborated with the Wu Chou Yuan Palm Puppet Troupe to hold the animal protection-themed hand puppet performance "Shi Yan-wen and the Stray Dog" at Toujia Elementary School in Taichung's Tanzi District. The Wu Chou Yuan Palm Puppet Troupe specially made animal puppets for this performance, in which the troupe used its traditional performing skills to highlight the subjects of pet owners' responsibilities and respect for life. While enjoying the puppet show, the school's students and teachers also learned how to put animal protection into practice in everyday life.

Our cross-domain collaboration with the Wu Chou Yuan Palm Puppet Troupe, which was founded by national treasure-level puppet master Huang Hai-dai, sought to combine animal protection with traditional puppetry. The story told by the troupe conveyed a message of respect for life, and was part of the Health Inspection Office's effort to give Taichung residents an all-new perception of animal protection. In an innovative move, the Wu Chou Yuan Palm Puppet Troupe made new animal puppets specially for this performance, which included plenty of entertaining interaction between the classic hand puppet character Shi Yan-wen and the animal puppets. The opera's plot and dialogue gave the students and teachers at Toujia Elementary School an immersive appreciation of a pet owner's responsibility for "lifelong care and no abandonment" and the value of respect for life.

The Health Inspection Office continues to promote life education using innovative methods, which include touring animal protection awareness sessions at schools, dramatic performances concerning animal protection, and animal-themed DIY workshops, talks, and festivals suitable for persons of all ages. We hope that inter-domain cooperation will break through obstacles and bring animal-friendly thinking to all corners of the city.