NO KILL ANIMAL SHELTER POLICY STARTS FEB. 6|動物收容零撲殺將上路 各縣市兩樣情

A new law banning the killing of stray animals has taken effect today, but critics wonder if the already crowded shelters will be able to cope. Some major cities have adopted several measures to prepare themselves for the new rules But Yilan, Hualien and Hsinchu have admitted it will be difficult for them to carry out the "zero euthanasia" policy This dog used to bark loudly at any approaching stranger when he first arrived at the Wugu Animal Shelter in New Taipei last November. Now, two months later, he has learned to obey simple commands. New Taipei City has prepared far in advance for the zero-euthanasia policy for animal shelters, which is set to come into effect nationwide on February 6th. It has set up adoption stations in pet shops and trained strays to become working animals. It had eliminated euthanasia in its shelters by 2015, and 94% of its shelter animals are successfully adopted. ==CHEN YUAN-CHUAN New Taipei City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office Director== (Last year) we had 1075 adoptions. To put it into perspective, that's equal to 2.5 times the number of animals in the Banqiao Animal Shelter. Yilan County is less confident about this policy. With only 330 spots in its animal shelters, Yilan reached 300 shelter animals last November and 410 by the Lunar New Year. Faced with increasing demand to remove strays and more abandonments, Yilan is concerned about ability of its shelters to cope under a zero-euthanasia policy. ==CHANG CHING-WEI Deputy Chief, Yilan County Agricultural Dept. == If we can't reduce the number of animals coming in, and capacity remains unchanged, then certainly this policy will run into difficulties in implementation. The New Taipei City government says that, in addition to encouraging adoption, there needs to be more precise targeting in catching strays. ==CHEN YUAN-CHUAN Director, New Taipei City APHIO== Some animals are more aggressive and less friendly to people. There needs to be a process to decide (whether an animal is placed in a shelter). Yilan County is also working with pet businesses to encourage adoption and stepping up neutering. Over 2,000 animals were neutered last year. But Yilan also says that better public education is needed regarding adoption. New Taipei City also emphasizes education, sending stray animals into schools to give students a greater appreciation of the value of life. TRANSLATED BY：JOHN CHEN 動物收容零撲殺的政策，將從2月6日零時、也就是下禮拜一開始實施，認養率高達94%、全台最高的新北市表示，零撲殺政策早就上路，因此新政策上路不受影響，不過對於宜花東縣市來說，壓力比較大，以宜蘭為例，收容所可收容330隻，到過年前在養量來到410隻，新政策讓地方備感壓力。 去年11月來到新北市五股動物之家的狼犬狼狼，一見陌生人，就大叫不止，不過其實牠很親人，短短兩個月究學會了簡單指令。 為了因應2月6號將上路的「動物收容零撲殺」政策，新北市提早推出對策，包括與寵物店合作，在店內成立認養小站，增加認養管道，另外也加強訓練流浪動物，讓牠們能夠成為各式各樣的工作犬，從104年提前實施零安樂死的近兩年來，動物收容降到8433隻，認養率提高到9成4。 ==新北市動物保護防疫處長 陳淵泉== （去年)總認養數有1075隻 依我們板橋動物之家來比的話 就等於兩個半的板橋之家的量 新北市政府對於零撲殺政策上路信心滿滿，宜蘭縣政府則感到壓力很大，宜蘭的動物收容所可容納330隻，去年11月達到300隻，到過年前暴增到410隻，面對民眾通報捕捉、與棄養的數量持續增加，如果無法撲殺會讓收容壓力大增。 ==宜蘭縣農業處副處長 張經緯== 就變成源頭如果沒有辦法減量 如果收容的量又是固定的 當然就會一些這個政策執行下來 不好執行的地方 新北市動物防疫處也坦言，除了要提高認養率，現在也不能所有流浪動物都捕捉，必須考慮「精準收容」。 ==新北市動物保護防疫處長 陳淵泉== 必然有一些比較兇猛的 比較對人不友善的 透過大家的會勘來決定(抓不抓) 宜蘭縣也與寵物業者合作推動認養，另外也提高絕育率，去年就結紮了超過2000隻動物，但坦言在棄養與認養方面，民眾的教育還有待加強，新北市也認為教育很重要，因此推動讓流浪動物擔任大使，進入校園與學生互動，從小培養正確的生命教育。 記者 林靜梅林志堅 綜合報導。