The very first large scale awareness survey about the so-called economic animals in Taiwan has just been released, showing that less than 40 percent of the respondents have heard about the inhumane treatments of hens and dairy cows, such as multi-stacked cages or tiny enclosures.
In Taiwan, egg hens and sows are often kept in tiny stacked cages or enclosures. An animal protection group recently conducted Taiwan's first-ever public opinion poll on economic animals, finding that 20-40 percent of people have heard about hens, sows and dairy cows being crammed into tiny cages and enclosures. After learning more, over 75 percent said they oppose this kind of animal breeding and the suffering it causes animals.
Tsun Fang-chu, Researcher, Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan: “We have cruelty-free definitions and production guidelines for egg hens, dairy cows and pigs. Taiwan's laws are so far behind. We are promoting a dedicated law to make extremely backwards practices like stacked cages and narrow enclosures illegal. The law would establish a mandatory transition period and supplementary measures. The food and beverage industry should also care about animal welfare and that should be reflected in their purchase policies.”
When animals are raised in oppressive and cruel environments, food safety issues and disease result. Over 50 percent of poll respondents also said the government should pass laws to protect the welfare of economic animals.
Chang Ching-wei, Director, Department of Animal Industry, Council of Agriculture: “Whether we go the route of agricultural loans or the aforementioned low-interest loans for the refurbished coops and pens, multi-stacked cages have to go. We should support lawmakers if they want to pass these laws.”
Chen Wen-shen, Deputy Director, Aquaculture Fisheries Division, Fisheries Agency: “Do we have scientific evidence to show our consumers that we don't need to catch fish by hooking them, and our seafood is still the freshest?”
The Council of Agriculture says it will continue to promote better animal husbandry practices and various animal-friendly standards to improve the industry and animal welfare.
把蛋雞放進小籠子飼養，或是把母豬關進窄小的狹欄。這些動物的生活遭遇，並不友善。動保團體公布全台第1份關於經濟動物的民意調查，以格子籠蛋雞、母豬狹欄、乳牛圈養，還有弓魚這4大議題出發，發現只有2至4成民眾有聽過這些議題。但在了解議題之後，有超過7成5以上，認為這些飼養方式，會對動物造成痛苦。
台灣動物社會研究會研究員寸舫筑指出：「我們有訂定了蛋雞、乳牛、豬隻的友善定義與生產指南，但是在政策期程上，是完全落後一大截的。不管是我們現在正在努力推動的『友善畜牧專法』，格子籠、狹欄，像這樣的非常落後的設施，應該要開始制定轉型的期程跟配套措施。餐飲相關的企業，都應該要將動物福利納入真正的採購政策。」
動物的生活環境不佳，有可能會衍生健康問題，甚至出現食品安全和疾病防治的隱憂。因此在民調中也顯示，有超過5成的民眾，認為相關單位應該要立法，來保護經濟動物的生活福利。
農委會畜牧處長張經緯表示：「不管是走我們的專案農業貸款，或者是剛剛提到的，要做禽舍修繕的一個低利貸款的時候，不可以用傳統的格子籠的方式來生產。立法院這邊，如果要推動促進友善畜牧水產養殖的推動條例的時候，我們應該要給予支持。」
農委會漁業署養殖組副組長陳文深建議：「我們是不是有一個科學的根據，能夠來跟我們的消費者來說明，其實我們不需要透過弓魚，我的水產品就是最新鮮的。」
農委會指出，會持續推動食農教育，以及友善畜牧的相關規範，會努力優化畜牧養殖相關產業，提高經濟動物的福利和處境，讓整體環境更友善。