流浪動物福利與私人收容所--以新北市某民間動物收容所問題為例

Abstract

根據行政院農業委員會統計，2015年臺灣地區流浪犬有128,473隻，而至2018年12月止，臺灣地區公立動物收容所總收容量只有6,875隻，且各公立收容所常有超收情況，恐有不符合動物福之虞。因此，亟需民間動物收容所配合，公私協力解決流浪動物收容之問題。 然而，截至2016年5月止，全臺列冊民間動物收容所得(俗稱狗場)有145家，因其所在土地使用管制，致至今全部未合法登記，均屬違法經營。因未合法登記，其相關之經營作業無法可管，而缺乏主管機關之稽查與監督，其收容所品質堪虞，動物福利無法確保。因此本文建議應修法使已存在之民間動物收容所合法化，並納入動物保護行政系統內，加以監督管理。 本文透過個案之實際申請設立許可過程，了解其相關法律與行政程序，發現民間動物收容所申請「非都市土地變更作為專案輔導畜牧事業設施使用」涉及之法律及行政程序相當複雜，且申請成本(包含專業機構服務費)高昂，並非大部份民間動物收容所能夠輕易負擔。因此本文建議政府應放寛農地之使用類別，並簡化申請程序，以使民間動物收容所有意願也有能力申請合法化。 另外，現行《動物保護法》第14條第4項規定，「直轄市、縣（市）主管機關得訂定獎勵辦法，輔導並協助民間機構、團體設置動物收容處所。」但實務上至目前為止卻未有任何地方政府給予任何民間動物收容所資金奬勵、輔導及協助設置動物收容所。本文建議由中央主管機關訂定相關辦法，以儘速補助民間動物收容所，且因諸多民間動物收容所為獨立之個人所興辦，因此同時建議其奬勵、輔導並協助範圍應可擴及「自然人」所設之民間動物收容所。 最後，《公益勸募條例》所定的勸募主體並不包含自然人，致許多以個人名義成立之民間動物收容所不能合法對外勸募，因此，建議政府修法只要合法經營的民間動物收容所，無論是法人或自然人，均可對外募款，以使其獲得外來資金援助，得以長期經營，更能保護動物及符合動物福利。

According to the statistics of Council of Agriculture of Executive Yuan, there were 128,473 stray dogs in Taiwan in 2015. By December 2018, the total accommodating capcity of public animal shelters in Taiwan was only 6,875 dogs, and the public shelters often had overloaded which might not meet animal welfare. As a result, it is urgent for public animal shelters to cooperate with private animal shelters by public-private partnerships to solve the problem of stray animals. However, as of May 2016, there were 145 private animal shelters (so called dog farms) listed in the Taiwanese government. Until now, all of them have not legally registered because of the land use control. Due to no legal registration, their operations cannot be audited and supervised by the authorities. In the absence of audits and supervision, the shelter quality will be apprehensive and animal welfare cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, this study suggests amending the related regulations to legalize the existing private animal shelters and to incorporate them into the animal protection administrative system for supervision and management. Through the actual application for establishment approval of a private animal shelter, this study learnt that the legal and administrative procedures involved in the application of “non-urban land change its use as a project ounseling livestock farming facilities” are quite complicated. And the application costs (including professional agency service fees) are pretty high which can not be easily afforded by most of private animal shelters. Thus, this study suggests that the government should relax the use of agricultural land and simplify the application process so that all the private animal shelters have willings and abilities to apply for legalization. In addition, Paragraph 4 of Article 14 of the current Animal Protection Act stipulates that “the competent authority of municipality, county (city) may formulate incentives to counsel and assist civil Institutions and organizations to set up animal shelters.” However, in practice, no local government has given any private animal shelters financial incentives, counseling and assistance for establishing an animal shelter. This study proposes that the central competent authority should formulate relevant measures to subsidize the private animal shelters as soon as possible. And, because many private animal shelters are set up by independent individuals, it is also recommended that the scope of rewards, counseling and assistance should be extended to the animal shelters set up by “natural person”. At last, the legal subject of Charity Donations Destined for Social Welfare Funds Implementation Regulations does not include natural persons, which causes many private animal shelters established in the name of individuals cannot legally fundraise. Therefore, it is recommended that the government amend the regulation for all of them can fundraise as long as they are legally operated private animal shelters, no matter they are legal entities or natural persons, so that they can receive external financial assistance, enabling them long-term operation and more protecting animals and meeting animal welfare.