An animal ranch in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan has been accused of egregious animal neglect, allowing creatures to suffer through disease, live in horrific conditions, and often become malnourished — all while letting visitors to the facility to handle, crowd, and have unsupervised “no distance” visits during which they harass these terrified, sick animals. And at $250 per “no distance” ticket, it’s obvious why Jingyuan Ranch would allow such suffering to go on — even after Kaohsiung’s Animal Protection Office had ordered them to cease all animal exhibitions.
From dogs to deer, lions to protected gibbons, alpacas to guinea pigs, these animals are suffering — and the Taiwan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA) and the Taiwan Animal Equality Association (TAEA) have photographic and eye witness evidence to prove it. And the fact that throughout all this suffering, untrained, unknowing guests are allowed alone and up close with these unprotected, scared animals is abhorrent — this wouldn’t even be appropriate with healthy animals.
Animals are crowded into filthy enclosures, and species that shouldn’t be coexisting are mixed together anyway. Many, many of the creatures at the ranch have untreated skin disease; TAEA investigator noted that staff claimed “Animals don’t necessarily need medical care”. Lions, deer, and goats were said to be exhibiting signs of stress and depression often associated with negligent captivity. At least two alpacas on the ranch have passed away, one from starvation and the other from heat exhaustion — extremely preventable, painful ways to go. It’s more than clear that this ranch’s doors need to be closed for good. Sign the petition asking the Taiwanese government to take a stand, close Jingyuan Ranch, and send every animal to a sanctuary or safe home!