Dog owners in Taipei may face fines and the confiscation of their pets if they fail to control their animals, following an incident where a pet dog killed a mallard at Dahu Park, animal protection officials announced on Saturday.
A video posted on DCard, a popular Taiwanese social media platform, shows a shiba inu attacking a duck while a woman tries to restrain the dog. Despite the dog being leashed, the woman’s efforts were described as “passive,” according to the anonymous uploader. The video, which had 1,300 views as of last night, depicts the dogwalker only attempting to intervene after the incident was being filmed.
The uploader criticized the dogwalker, noting the presence of children in Dahu Park and expressing concern over potential attacks on them. Additionally, the uploader reported seeing two other dead birds, presumably mauled, before encountering the shiba inu.
Lin Ting-chun, the supervisor of the Taipei City Animal Protection Office’s animal rescue team, referenced the Animal Protection Act, stating that pet owners are responsible for preventing their animals from endangering life, property, or protected wildlife. Violations of the protected wildlife hunting ban could result in fines ranging from NT$6,000 to NT$30,000 and the seizure of the offending animals.
While Lin did not confirm if the videoed incident met the criteria for illegal hunting, she emphasized the legal responsibilities of pet owners to control their animals and protect wildlife.
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