By RK Shih / Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung City’s animal shelters have recorded a significant rise in adoptions following a multi-year effort to rethink how shelters operate and how residents engage with them.
According to the Kaohsiung City Animal Protection Office, adoption rates at the city’s two public shelters — the Shoushan (壽山) facility in Gushan District (鼓山) and a site in Yanchao District (燕巢) — have climbed over the past three years, with nearly 9,000 dogs and cats being adopted during that period.
City officials attribute the increase to a six-year reform program that moved beyond basic shelter management to focus on public education, community activities, and responsible pet ownership.
In 2019, as shelter capacity reached critical levels, the city’s Animal Protection Office launched a series of public events, including music festivals, pet sports activities, outdoor classes, and training workshops. These events, held at and around shelters, encouraged residents to visit, interact with animals, and reconsider adoption.
Programs have also expanded into schools, with more than 780 animal welfare and life-education sessions reaching over 64,000 students in four years.
In 2023, the city launched the “Ban (伴)” branding initiative — a wordplay on companionship — to reposition shelters as community spaces rather than places associated with abandonment. A 30-day trial pet adoption period and — for people who adopt certain types of dogs — up to NT$3,000 toward pet insurance were also part of the plans implemented by the Kaohsiung Animal Protection Office in 2023.
Volunteers and adopters say the changes have reshaped public perceptions. Several described the shelters as places for learning and connection, rather than last resorts for unwanted animals.
City officials say the long-term goal is to make animal welfare part of everyday urban life, positioning Kaohsiung as a model pet-friendly city in southern Taiwan.
