June 8, 1998

Dear Premier Siew,

Thank you for your communiqué regarding the treatment of stray dogs in Taiwan. We, too, would very much like to have a good relationship with Taiwan. And, indeed, we welcome any and all improvements the government is making. We hope the government will use the new task force or other means to immediately crack down on the cruel killing methods and cruel handling of animals in local pounds.

However, there is a great deal to be done and a sense of distrust has arisen. While representatives of the government tell the media that our photographic evidence and information is "old," we know from firsthand experience in the last two months that exactly the same horrors that existed four years ago, such as drowning, electrocution, cruel handling, clubbing to death, and live burial, still go on in many pounds on the island today. And, while we appreciate the government's frank admission that the situation is far from perfect and that terrible cruelties were uncovered, we urge the government not to allow its representatives to misrepresent the current atrocities that need to cease immediately.

Further distrust has been created by the summer adjournment of the Legislative Yuan without any action having been taken on the anti-cruelty to animals bill, despite the government's previous assurances that action would be taken in June. If the bill is not made a matter of priority in September, is weakened by amendments, or is not passed this year, all credibility will surely have eroded.

In the meantime, we would ask for the government's involvement to help accomplish four things in short order:

1. Although PETA's president met with the Keelung environmental director, Dundee Kao, several weeks ago, neither we nor Mr. Steven Seagal has been able to confirm the director's promise that drownings would stop. We would like an assurance that the drowning tank has been destroyed and that killing by injection of barbiturate, as recommended by WSPA, the RSPCA, HSUS, and PETA, among others, is indeed taking place exclusively now.

2. When PETA's president visited Sanchung pound in April of this year, the manager was drunk and the employees were cruelly treating the dogs, hosing them down in the filthy, feces-encrusted runs where they fought for food. As recently as last month, cannibalism in the runs was recorded by eyewitnesses: The cannibalism is caused by untrained staff throwing frail, old, very young, and pregnant dogs into the pens with aggressive fighters who attack them when they try to get to the little food available. We ask for your assistance in receiving a favorable response to PETA's letter to the mayor of Sanchung (attached) asking for reforms and offering help to clean this pound. We are ready to help the mayor make the Sanchung pound a model facility by providing hands-on volunteer help in establishing standard operating procedures and creating a pound that will attract visitors.

3. We ask the government to see to it that the electrocution box in Miao Li is destroyed and that dogs there are killed by humane injection of barbiturate.

4. We ask that the government outline a plan for the widespread distribution of materials encouraging the neutering of dogs and kind treatment of them.

We would be greatly appreciative of positive replies to these simple requests. As you know, it has been four long years since these problems first came to light and yet primitive and abominably cruel conditions still exist. The world is watching and asking why the unnecessary suffering does not end.

Sincerely,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President