New Year’s Eve Hiking Accident: Taipei City Animal Protection Office reported that at 11:00 today, a citizen alerted authorities to an incident where a Tibetan mastiff attacked and injured a hiker on the Shamao Mountain hiking trail in Yangmingshan. It turned out that a privately owned Tibetan mastiff had fled in panic after being startled. Fortunately, the owner, along with the Animal Protection Office and police-firefighters, quickly mobilized to search for the dog, preventing further injuries to other hikers.
The victim was a 56-year-old male hiker who suffered a laceration on his left calf. After being treated by medical personnel, he is in stable condition. The Animal Protection Office stated that the Tibetan mastiff in question is just over one year old and had escaped from home yesterday after being frightened by nearby fireworks, which led to the attack on the hiking trail near its residence.
The Taipei City Animal Protection Office stated that after receiving the public report, they immediately dispatched a rescue team that arrived at the scene by 11:20 AM. They promptly contacted the dog’s owner and worked with the police to conduct a comprehensive mountain search to track down the mastiff.
With coordination between the Animal Protection Office, police, firefighters, and the mastiff’s owner surnamed Tsai, all parties identified the dog based on the victim’s description and began searching along the Shamao Mountain hiking trail. At 12:20 PM, the mastiff was spotted. Upon seeing the large group of people, the dog became agitated, growling angrily and attempting to attack members of the rescue team. Tensions were high, and a tranquilizer dart was readied. Fortunately, after continuous efforts by the owner to calm the animal, its violent behavior was eventually subdued. It was then securely leashed to prevent another escape or potential injury.
Director Yan of the Taipei City Animal Protection Office pointed out that since Tibetan mastiffs are classified as aggressive pets under regulations published by the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, the owner has violated Article 20, Paragraph 2 of the Animal Protection Act. Accordingly, a fine ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$150,000 will be imposed under Article 29, Paragraph 1, Item 5 of the same act. Additionally, as the mastiff injured an innocent member of the public, the Animal Protection Office may, under Article 32, Paragraph 1, Item 3, confiscate the animal directly. The public is urged to take proper precautions if keeping large, aggressive dog breeds, strictly adhere to legal requirements, and avoid causing harm to others.
(China Times)