Stray cat protection group accused of illegal dog breeding

SUSPICIOUS: Critics said authorities were slow to respond to the alleged discovery after a fire of purebred dogs that had their voice boxes removed

By Yeh Kuan-yi and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer





Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City Councilor Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) yesterday accused the Taipei City Animal Protection Office of being slow to respond to allegations of illegal dog-breeding by the Stray Cats Protection Association (SCPA).

The allegations were made following a fire at SPCA headquarters at 10pm on Monday in Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義) that burned down its animal shelter, veterinary clinic and pet supplies store, Fat Kitty Pet Salon and Supplies.

Yesterday morning, a netizen using the handle “maybehsin” made a post on Professional Technology Temple (PTT) — the nation’s largest online academic bulletin board — saying that the SCPA should be investigated for operating an illegal breeding facility after discoveries made by animal lovers trying to recover surviving cats and dogs at the site.

The PTT post said volunteers who came to rescue surviving animals found more than 60 expensive purebred dogs that had apparently died in the fire in the SCPA’s basement, and their cadavers showed signs they had had their voice boxes surgically removed.

“Fancy dogs, voice box removal and basement: Those are the three things that raise suspicions this shop [belonging to] the stray cat association hides an illegal breeding facility,” the post said.

Hsu yesterday said she was alerted by sources on the night of the fire of suspicious discoveries made at the SCPA building that implicated it in illegal dog breeding, and had forwarded her concerns to the Animal Protection Office.

The office tried to pass the buck to the Taipei City Fire Department by saying the matter was not within its jurisdiction, and it waited until yesterday morning to send its inspectors, Hsu added.

The office yesterday said it would brief the public after wrapping up its investigation.