Taiwan to deploy modular shelters for stray dogs
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Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture plans to build modular animal shelters on state-owned land in Taoyuan to house free-roaming dogs.
The ministry announced the initiative while promoting animal welfare education through a stage play, The Wandering Diary of Boss Black Cat and Dog A-Chi, which has reached 35,000 people over two years. Deputy Director Chen Chung-hsing explained the shelters are easy to build and dismantle, minimizing land damage and supplementing existing animal shelters that are nearing capacity.
The first shelters will be constructed in Taoyuan’s Sinwu District, utilizing 660 square meters of national woodland to create 80 square meters of space for dogs. This project responds to a declining population of free-roaming dogs in Taiwan, which fell from 159,000 in 2021 to 141,000 in 2024, according to the ministry’s bi-annual surveys. The ministry integrated animal welfare education into the national 12-Year Basic Education Curriculum, collaborating with Ifkids Theatre to develop the stage play.
Officials believe that fostering positive attitudes toward animals will improve their well-being. The modular shelters are expected to accommodate dogs for up to two years.
