Taipei issues fine, seizes pit bull that attacked 2 motorcyclists

Taipei, March 18 (CNA) The Taipei City government said it had issued NT$200,000 (US$6,061) in fines and seized a pit bull that leaped out of its owner's truck window and bit motorcyclists stopped at red lights on two different occasions this month.

In a statement late Monday, the Taipei City Animal Protection Office said it had been investigating the dog's owner, surnamed Hsu (徐), for violations of the Animal Protection Act stemming from the dog's first attack on March 6 when it learned of the second attack Monday morning.

In light of Hsu's inability to properly control his dog, the office said it had decided to issue fines totaling NT$140,000 for the two attacks and to seize and impound Hsu's dog.

Shortly after, however, the Taipei Department of Economic Development -- the animal protection office's parent agency -- said that after reviewing the decision, it had decided to raise the fines for the two attacks to NT$50,000 and NT$150,000, or a total of NT$200,000.

NT$150,000 is the maximum fine that can be issued for violating Article 20, Clause 2 of the Animal Protection Act, namely allowing an aggressive pet to roam in a public place without proper supervision and precautions.

Hua Hsin-huei (華心惠), an official at the Taipei City Animal Protection Office, told CNA Tuesday that the office had confiscated the dog after meeting with Hsu at his home around 12:40 p.m.

Hsu told animal welfare officials he was very upset to give up the dog, named "Lucky," which he had had for over ten years, but he acknowledged that he was unable to control the dog, Hua said.

According to Hua, the dog will now be placed at a care facility where specialists will evaluate whether it is suitable to be put up for adoption.

If the dog's behavior can be fixed, it will be put up for adoption to people meeting certain criteria, but if it remains aggressive, it will have to be euthanized, Hua said.

Meanwhile, city government sources said that as of Tuesday morning, the victims of the two attacks had not filed lawsuits against Hsu.

The first victim, surnamed Huang (黃), has returned to Kaohsiung to undergo procedures to remove dead tissue from his bite wounds, the sources said. The second victim has not been identified by name.

Also on Tuesday, Hsu Shu-lei (徐書磊), the chief of operations at the Plain Law Movement, a website that tries to explain the workings of Taiwan's legal system in everyday language, issued a statement identifying Hsu as his father and apologizing for the biting incidents.

In the statement, Hsu Shu-lei said that in recent years, even he and other members of his family, excepting his father, had been unable to go near Lucky because of the dog's "fierce personality."

He added that his father was in talks with both of the victims to pay them compensation for the attacks.