Recently, a cold wave has brought temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius to the plains of Taichung, Taiwan. Taichung City Councilor Chou Yung-hung is urging public animal shelters to provide sufficient warmth for the animals in their care. He also emphasized the need to educate pet owners on cold weather protection measures.
Taichung Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office stated that outdoor dog houses utilize the original building design's partitioned stone walls to create windbreaks and retain warmth. Additionally, they provide platforms, cardboard boxes, windproof cloths, and warm clothing. Indoor puppies and kittens receive extra warmth from electric heaters and heat packs.
Councilor Chou Yung-hung noted that pets are indispensable members of many families. According to the Ministry of Agriculture's 2023 pet population survey, approximately one-quarter (28.3%) of households own pets, with dogs accounting for about 13.8%, cats for about 10.4%, and other types of pets for about 9.3%. Estimates based on surveys indicate that Taichung has 152,000 pet dogs and 123,000 pet cats. With the drastic changes in weather, the cold poses a significant challenge to these "furry children," and he urges the Animal Protection Office to pay attention to the warmth of animals housed in public animal shelters.
Chou Yung-hung pointed out that Taichung City has two public animal shelters in Nantun and Houli. The Nantun Animal Shelter houses approximately 350 dogs and cats, while the Houli Animal Shelter houses approximately 250. The Nantun Animal Shelter, located on Mount Dadu, experiences a more pronounced temperature drop during cold waves. Without adequate cold protection measures, there are concerns that young and frail animals may not survive the cold wave.
The Animal Protection Office responded that the outdoor dog houses in Taichung's animal shelters utilize the original building design's partitioned stone walls to create windbreaks and retain warmth. They also incorporate platforms, cardboard boxes, windproof cloths, and warm clothing to enhance warmth. Indoor dog houses and cat houses adjust based on temperature and the animals' condition, with electric heaters and heat packs provided for puppies and kittens. Currently, the cat houses have been equipped with air conditioning units for temperature regulation and timed temperature control, ensuring that the animals in the shelters can have a warm winter.
