Taiwan Railways Cargo Trains Accused of Animal Cruelty, Ministry of Transportation Promises Improvements
Concerns have been raised regarding animal cruelty in live animal transportation via Taiwan Railways' cargo trains, with animal protection groups and legislators demanding improvements. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has acknowledged the issue and pledged to implement changes. A lack of animal welfare awareness has been highlighted.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 15:26
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 15:32 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 7, 2026 at 16:13 (41 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Lin Ching-yin Taipei 7th) Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Shu-fen held a press conference today with animal protection groups, questioning the lack of supervision over live animal transport by Taiwan Railways (TRA) cargo trains. They claimed animals were left for extended periods without water, in high temperatures, with different species mixed, and even excrement coexisting with deceased animals, likening it to an animal transport hell. They demanded that the government and TRA make improvements.
Chen Chung-hsing, Deputy Director of the Animal Protection Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, who attended the press conference, stated that under the Animal Protection Act and the Animal Transportation Management Regulations, transporters also have management responsibilities. Penalties can be imposed by law if animals are killed or injured. The Ministry of Agriculture is willing to discuss and formulate guidelines with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and TRA. Liao Chin-chih, Deputy Director of the Public Transport and Monitoring Division of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, said that animal welfare had indeed not been considered in the past, and they would discuss with the Ministry of Agriculture to review and improve the situation within existing resources.
Taiwan Rabbit Conservation Association and Taiwan Animal Society Research Association held a press conference titled "Four Major Empties Express Life" with Lin Shu-fen at the Legislative Yuan this morning.
Lin Qiao, Public Affairs Director of the Rabbit Conservation Association, pointed out that TRA's cargo trains, formerly known as "mail and baggage cars," currently have 6 Chu-kuang Express services daily, carrying passengers' luggage and agricultural products in attached carriages. Breeders and traders also use these cargo trains to transport live animals to save costs, but due to a lack of supervision, it has become an animal transport hell.
Lin Qiao stated that according to their investigation, transportation cages are rudimentary, and carriages lack temperature control and ventilation. Birds were found stuck in vents, small hamsters chewed on newspaper soaked with ice water due to lack of water, different species were mixed, some even cannibalizing deceased companions, and entire cages of live animals were haphazardly stacked with agricultural products, with excrement coexisting with deceased animals. These situations violate the Animal Protection Act, which prohibits harassment and abuse, and requires attention to food, water, excretion, environment, and safety to prevent animals from being startled, suffering, or injured.
Kao Ming-wei, a researcher at the Taiwan Animal Society Research Association, said that the Ministry of Agriculture should immediately revise the Animal Transportation Management Regulations to include young birds, young livestock, and all commercially traded vertebrates, establishing unified all-species transportation facilities and animal welfare standards to be followed. Logistics operators, drivers, and facility managers engaged in commercial animal transport must receive animal behavior and welfare training and obtain certification, implementing a full-process responsibility system. If this cannot be achieved, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications should order TRA to immediately terminate its live animal transport service via cargo trains and revert to professional animal logistics.
Lin Shu-fen said that TRA's cargo train management is still stuck in the 20th century, with very backward transport environments. Allowing sick animals to be mixed with agricultural food products could become a public health loophole, and newly born young animals suffer oppression during long-distance transport. She demanded that relevant ministries hold an inter-ministerial consultation within one month to gather experts and relevant groups to jointly study countermeasures and improvement measures. (Editor: Zhai Sijia) 1150507
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(Central News Agency reporter Lin Ching-yin Taipei 7th) Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Shu-fen held a press conference today with animal protection groups, questioning the lack of supervision over live animal transport by Taiwan Railways (TRA) cargo trains. They claimed animals were left for extended periods without water, in high temperatures, with different species mixed, and even excrement coexisting with deceased animals, likening it to an animal transport hell. They demanded that the government and TRA make improvements.
Chen Chung-hsing, Deputy Director of the Animal Protection Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, who attended the press conference, stated that under the Animal Protection Act and the Animal Transportation Management Regulations, transporters also have management responsibilities. Penalties can be imposed by law if animals are killed or injured. The Ministry of Agriculture is willing to discuss and formulate guidelines with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and TRA. Liao Chin-chih, Deputy Director of the Public Transport and Monitoring Division of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, said that animal welfare had indeed not been considered in the past, and they would discuss with the Ministry of Agriculture to review and improve the situation within existing resources.
Taiwan Rabbit Conservation Association and Taiwan Animal Society Research Association held a press conference titled "Four Major Empties Express Life" with Lin Shu-fen at the Legislative Yuan this morning.
Lin Qiao, Public Affairs Director of the Rabbit Conservation Association, pointed out that TRA's cargo trains, formerly known as "mail and baggage cars," currently have 6 Chu-kuang Express services daily, carrying passengers' luggage and agricultural products in attached carriages. Breeders and traders also use these cargo trains to transport live animals to save costs, but due to a lack of supervision, it has become an animal transport hell.
Lin Qiao stated that according to their investigation, transportation cages are rudimentary, and carriages lack temperature control and ventilation. Birds were found stuck in vents, small hamsters chewed on newspaper soaked with ice water due to lack of water, different species were mixed, some even cannibalizing deceased companions, and entire cages of live animals were haphazardly stacked with agricultural products, with excrement coexisting with deceased animals. These situations violate the Animal Protection Act, which prohibits harassment and abuse, and requires attention to food, water, excretion, environment, and safety to prevent animals from being startled, suffering, or injured.
Kao Ming-wei, a researcher at the Taiwan Animal Society Research Association, said that the Ministry of Agriculture should immediately revise the Animal Transportation Management Regulations to include young birds, young livestock, and all commercially traded vertebrates, establishing unified all-species transportation facilities and animal welfare standards to be followed. Logistics operators, drivers, and facility managers engaged in commercial animal transport must receive animal behavior and welfare training and obtain certification, implementing a full-process responsibility system. If this cannot be achieved, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications should order TRA to immediately terminate its live animal transport service via cargo trains and revert to professional animal logistics.
Lin Shu-fen said that TRA's cargo train management is still stuck in the 20th century, with very backward transport environments. Allowing sick animals to be mixed with agricultural food products could become a public health loophole, and newly born young animals suffer oppression during long-distance transport. She demanded that relevant ministries hold an inter-ministerial consultation within one month to gather experts and relevant groups to jointly study countermeasures and improvement measures. (Editor: Zhai Sijia) 1150507
Stand with the facts; every sponsorship you provide is a force for protecting press freedom.
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Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.