Taiwan launches pet voucher lottery to boost pet registration

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —The Ministry of Agriculture has launched a lottery offering 30,000 NT$300 (US$9.40) pet vouchers and 100 health-care packages worth up to NT$3,000 each to encourage owners to register their dogs and cats, per UDN.

The ministry announced the Pet Login program on Tuesday at a press conference, calling on owners to complete pet registration and ensure their animal and owner information is up to date. Taiwan has approximately 1.46 million domestic dogs and 1.74 million domestic cats, according to the ministry's latest nationwide survey.

Under the Animal Protection Act, dogs and cats must be registered and implanted with microchips by the time they are 4 months old. Owners who fail to comply can be fined between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000.

Pet registration has been mandatory for dogs for decades, while cats were added to the list of animals requiring registration, with enforcement starting Jan. 1. The ministry said dog microchipping has increased steadily, rising from 61.84% in 2021 to 75.47% in 2025. The rate for domestic cats rose from 49.83% in 2023 to 63.75% in 2025.

Department of Animal Welfare Director Chiang Wen-chuan (江文全) said many owners regard their dogs and cats as companions and family members. Registration provides identification information that can improve the chances of recovering lost animals while helping authorities implement measures such as vaccinations and sterilization. Chiang added that source management is the key to controlling stray dog and cat populations, per UDN.

Under the lottery rules, owners of registered dogs or cats can participate from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 by logging onto the website, confirming their pet and personal information, and completing the online lottery registration. Each owner can enter only one dog or cat, and each animal can be entered only once.

The ministry will conduct the lottery through a livestream on its YouTube channel on Oct. 2. Physical vouchers are scheduled to be sent by registered mail by the end of October.

The pet vouchers can be used at participating stores to purchase pet-related food and supplies. The ministry said its program includes nine pet-related businesses and 14 agricultural and fisheries associations, with a total of 436 participating outlets as of its announcement Tuesday. The vouchers cannot be exchanged for cash or change and must be used by Dec. 10.

The 100 healthcare package winners can take their dogs or cats to licensed public or private veterinary clinics for health checks and medical services. After treatment, winners can submit receipts and related documents to apply for reimbursement of eligible expenses, up to NT$3,000, by Dec. 10.