Brian Hioe12/14/2025December 2025EnglishEnvironmentalSocial Movements
by Brian Hioe
語言:
English
Photo Credit: Brian Hioe
ANIMAL RIGHTS ADVOCATES held a gathering in Banqiao on December 6th to call for an end to the use of snare traps in Taiwan. The gathering was organized by Taiwan One Ecology Coalition and brought several dozen participants to Huajiang Animal Park in Banqiao, which is normally a dog park in the Huajiang Riverside Park.
Several dozen individuals participated. A number of the participants brought their dogs, including a number of three-legged dogs and a smaller number of two-legged dogs, who had lost their legs from snare traps. Several dogs came from a dog shelter in Nantou that takes care of three-legged dogs, with speakers referencing the large number of stray dogs in Nantou and Longtan.
Photo credit: Brian Hioe
Snare traps were criticized as hurting not only dogs but also other wildlife. This includes endangered species such as Formosan black bears and the Taiwan leopard cat. 7 of 24 Formosan black bear deaths in recent memory involved snare traps, though this also sometimes involved a combination of hunting and snare traps.
Animals struggle after being caught in snare traps, with the traps tightening as they struggle. Most animals die around a week later, in constant pain. At the same time, some of the surviving animals have to experience amputations, leading to missing legs.
Photo credit: Brian Hioe
Efforts have been made by the government to roll out snare traps that do not lead to animals being caught in snare traps requiring amputations or that are not deadly. Snare traps only began to be widely used in Taiwan in the past decade and are not traditionally used. Although government-approved snare traps are present on the market, many other times, they are outsold by snare traps that are deadly and cheaper, available on websites such as Shopee.
Consequently, representatives of New Taipei’s animal welfare division spoke at the event about new alert systems for snare traps that have been introduced. Likewise, members of the public were called on to report illegal snare traps being sold. Animal owners were also encouraged to keep their pets on leashes in order to avoid accidents, while efforts were also made to educate animal owners on how to prevent their pets from running off.
Photo credit: Brian Hioe
DPP city councilor Dai Wei-shan was also present at the gathering. Previously, organizers had called on President Lai Ching-te to attend the gathering with his dog Ban-ban, who had lost a leg in a snare trap. Though no KMT representatives were present, the cause is seen as a bipartisan one.
More broadly, rising concern with animals caught in snare traps was contextualized in how pets are increasingly considered “fur children” in contemporary Taiwan. Pets were spoken of as companions in one’s life, who should be cared for, hence advocacy against snare traps.
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