Public Representatives Call for Confiscation of Abused Dogs at Pet Restaurant, Miaoli County Government: Careful Evaluation
In a case of dog mistreatment at a pet restaurant in Xihu Township, Miaoli County, public representatives called for the confiscation of 10 affected Golden Retrievers, not just temporary detention. The Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office responded that it would carefully evaluate the subsequent handling, prioritizing animal welfare.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 6, 2026 at 20:36
- 🔍 Collected: May 6, 2026 at 21:01 (25 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 6, 2026 at 21:15 (13 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Kuan Jui-ping, Miaoli County, 6th) In the case of dog mistreatment at a pet restaurant in Xihu Township, Miaoli County, public representatives called for the Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office to confiscate the 10 affected Golden Retrievers, rather than just temporarily detaining them. The Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office responded that it would carefully evaluate the subsequent handling, adhering to the principles of administration according to law and prioritizing animal welfare.
Miaoli County Government stated on the 2nd that based on four complaint videos taken between 2023 and 2025, the owner was fined NT$75,000 in accordance with the Animal Protection Act, and the 10 dogs were temporarily detained and placed. The restaurant has now ceased operations.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislators Kuo Yu-ching and Wu Pei-yi, and Miaoli County Councilor Chen Kuang-hsuan held a press conference today at the Legislative Yuan, advocating for amendments to increase penalties for animal cruelty, and urged the Miaoli County Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office to "confiscate the 10 affected Golden Retrievers as soon as possible, rather than just temporarily detaining them."
The Miaoli County Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office responded via a press release that on May 2, based on the necessary protection of animal safety, it legally took preventive protective detention measures for the dogs involved, placing them in an animal shelter. Professional staff continue to conduct health checks, behavioral observations, and care assessments, with all procedures prioritizing the safety and health of the dogs.
Regarding the question of whether the dogs should be immediately confiscated, the Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office stated that detention and confiscation have different legal effects. The former is a temporary protective measure to immediately eliminate animal safety risks; the latter involves depriving the owner of ownership and requires clear evidence, compliance with the Animal Protection Act, the principle of proportionality, and due legal process. They will continue to collect relevant evidence and carefully evaluate the handling direction based on the dogs' health status, behavioral assessment, owner's care ability, and placement needs; if the conditions for confiscation are met, they will proceed according to law.
As for the amount of the fine and the doubts about imposing penalties per instance and per animal, the Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office pointed out that for the currently identifiable illegal evidence, a maximum fine of NT$75,000 was imposed in accordance with Article 30 of the Animal Protection Act. However, considering that the existing four videos belong to different times, locations, and behavioral contexts, it is not yet objectively possible to confirm that all 10 dogs were victims of abuse.
The county government stated that the place referred to as a "pet restaurant" was self-proclaimed by the operator, and the place is not a currently registered specific pet business, nor is it a pet-friendly space issued or certified by Miaoli County. Therefore, it is not directly managed by the specific pet business evaluation or official pet-friendly space inspection mechanism. Upon investigation, among the 10 dogs kept by the owner, one elderly dog had applied for exemption from sterilization in accordance with the regulations of the owner and the place of keeping in Taichung City, and the other 9 have all been sterilized. Currently, there is no evidence of breeding, selling, fostering, or other specific pet business operations.
As for the owner's previous fundraising, which also raised external doubts about whether they could continue to care for the dogs, the county government pointed out that the Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office will incorporate factors such as the owner's care ability, the dogs' health status, the living environment, and subsequent care plans into a comprehensive assessment to ensure the dogs' safety and animal welfare.
The Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office emphasized that all subsequent handling of the dogs will prioritize safety, stable care, and long-term welfare, including the dogs' age, health status, care costs, and care ability assessment, all of which will be important reference bases. They will continue to adhere to the principles of administration according to law and prioritizing animal welfare, carefully handling the matter to ensure that every administrative action takes into account animal safety, procedural justice, and long-term care quality. (Edited by Huang Ming-hsi) 1150506
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(Central News Agency reporter Kuan Jui-ping, Miaoli County, 6th) In the case of dog mistreatment at a pet restaurant in Xihu Township, Miaoli County, public representatives called for the Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office to confiscate the 10 affected Golden Retrievers, rather than just temporarily detaining them. The Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office responded that it would carefully evaluate the subsequent handling, adhering to the principles of administration according to law and prioritizing animal welfare.
Miaoli County Government stated on the 2nd that based on four complaint videos taken between 2023 and 2025, the owner was fined NT$75,000 in accordance with the Animal Protection Act, and the 10 dogs were temporarily detained and placed. The restaurant has now ceased operations.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislators Kuo Yu-ching and Wu Pei-yi, and Miaoli County Councilor Chen Kuang-hsuan held a press conference today at the Legislative Yuan, advocating for amendments to increase penalties for animal cruelty, and urged the Miaoli County Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office to "confiscate the 10 affected Golden Retrievers as soon as possible, rather than just temporarily detaining them."
The Miaoli County Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office responded via a press release that on May 2, based on the necessary protection of animal safety, it legally took preventive protective detention measures for the dogs involved, placing them in an animal shelter. Professional staff continue to conduct health checks, behavioral observations, and care assessments, with all procedures prioritizing the safety and health of the dogs.
Regarding the question of whether the dogs should be immediately confiscated, the Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office stated that detention and confiscation have different legal effects. The former is a temporary protective measure to immediately eliminate animal safety risks; the latter involves depriving the owner of ownership and requires clear evidence, compliance with the Animal Protection Act, the principle of proportionality, and due legal process. They will continue to collect relevant evidence and carefully evaluate the handling direction based on the dogs' health status, behavioral assessment, owner's care ability, and placement needs; if the conditions for confiscation are met, they will proceed according to law.
As for the amount of the fine and the doubts about imposing penalties per instance and per animal, the Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office pointed out that for the currently identifiable illegal evidence, a maximum fine of NT$75,000 was imposed in accordance with Article 30 of the Animal Protection Act. However, considering that the existing four videos belong to different times, locations, and behavioral contexts, it is not yet objectively possible to confirm that all 10 dogs were victims of abuse.
The county government stated that the place referred to as a "pet restaurant" was self-proclaimed by the operator, and the place is not a currently registered specific pet business, nor is it a pet-friendly space issued or certified by Miaoli County. Therefore, it is not directly managed by the specific pet business evaluation or official pet-friendly space inspection mechanism. Upon investigation, among the 10 dogs kept by the owner, one elderly dog had applied for exemption from sterilization in accordance with the regulations of the owner and the place of keeping in Taichung City, and the other 9 have all been sterilized. Currently, there is no evidence of breeding, selling, fostering, or other specific pet business operations.
As for the owner's previous fundraising, which also raised external doubts about whether they could continue to care for the dogs, the county government pointed out that the Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office will incorporate factors such as the owner's care ability, the dogs' health status, the living environment, and subsequent care plans into a comprehensive assessment to ensure the dogs' safety and animal welfare.
The Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office emphasized that all subsequent handling of the dogs will prioritize safety, stable care, and long-term welfare, including the dogs' age, health status, care costs, and care ability assessment, all of which will be important reference bases. They will continue to adhere to the principles of administration according to law and prioritizing animal welfare, carefully handling the matter to ensure that every administrative action takes into account animal safety, procedural justice, and long-term care quality. (Edited by Huang Ming-hsi) 1150506
Choose to stand with facts; every sponsorship you provide is a force to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.