Taiwanese failing to put microchips in pet cats could face fines up to $477

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Joining dog owners, Taiwanese cat owners who fail to microchip their pets could face fines of up to 15,000 Taiwanese dollars ($477), according to the Agriculture Ministry as reported by Focus Taiwan on Thursday.

Since 2008, the Animal Protection Act has required dog owners to microchip and register their canines, with fines ranging from 3,000 ($95) to 15,000 Taiwanese dollars for non-compliance.

This rule was extended to cat owners in 2025, after a change in pet regulations was officially announced in December 2024. However, penalties will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

As of that date, cat owners who don't microchip their pets will face the same fines as dog owners and may be given a deadline to comply.

If they fail to do so, additional fines may be applied for each subsequent violation.

According to the ministry’s most recent pet census, done every two years, there were about 1.31 million cats in Taiwan in 2023.

By 2024, around 146,430 domestic cats had been microchipped through voluntary initiatives led by animal rights and environmental groups.

After one year of awareness campaigns under the new regulations, this number rose to 164,388.

The microchipping requirement aims to enhance owner responsibility, reduce abandonment, and prevent illegal breeding, the ministry said.

It also helps increase the chances of recovering lost pets and enables authorities to monitor whether the animals have been spayed or neutered.