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| A Japanese dog stroller |
By some account, the following scene has to constitute animal cruelty — first comes the stroller, catching the attention of passers-by seeking to catch a glimpse of little toes, or a toddler’s innocent smile. However, instead of a baby, they see a furry, yapping little thing, and if that were not disconcerting enough, the dog is incongruously wearing four tiny red shoes.
No country has more house pets per capita that are not walking on all fours — as they were meant to be — than Taiwan. The phenomenon deserves attention, as the preternatural pampering masks a darker side of society.
My (much lighter) unsigned editorial, published today in the Taipei Times, continues here.
The best thing for the stray dogs is to be adopted by good people who know how to look after them.
ReplyDeleteI have six and I usually spend at least three hours a day taking them for walks and spend between NT$5,000 and NT$6,000 a month on food. And then there are trips to the vet and all the minor chores that have to be done. The largest cost, however, is the restriction on my travelling - I cannot go anywhere for more than a day without someone competent and trustworthy to stay in my apartment to look after the dogs properly while I am gone. I would not even think about putting any of my dogs into a "doggie hotel".
I would guess that few people are willing or able to make a commitment like that.