Group photo of members of the Livestock Health Control Association.

The Livestock Health Control Association of the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs visited the Ruifang Animal Shelter in New Taipei City on September 17, as part of its itinerary on the fourth day of its 2026 Overseas Livestock and Animal Disease Prevention and Control Field Study Program in Taiwan. With a focus on animal disease prevention and control, the members of the delegation paid particular attention to quarantine, isolation, disinfection, and health management after animals enter the shelter. They toured the shelter to learn about its housing environment, operational procedures, and animal welfare measures, as well as disease prevention and control practices at Taiwanese animal shelters from the frontline staff in New Taipei City.

During the visit, the Ruifang Animal Shelter introduced its procedures for quarantine and isolation of dogs and cats upon arrival, environmental cleaning and disinfection, daily health care, and subsequent adoption matching. Staff also shared how the facility’s spatial layout and staff workflows help reduce the risk of disease transmission. Likewise, the Korean delegation shared their views on quarantine and isolation areas, dog and cat care, and frontline work procedures, learning how New Taipei City balances animal health and welfare in its day-to-day shelter operations.

One of the highlights of the visit was the Ruifang Animal Shelter’s distinctive three independent circulation routes. Independent routes are established for incoming animals, supply deliveries, and dog and cat adoptions, reducing the potential for cross-contamination between different workflows from the planning stage of the shelter’s construction. During construction, American animal shelter design expert Heather Lewis was invited to participate in the planning, incorporating disease prevention and control, animal welfare, and operational efficiency into the overall design.


Members of the Livestock Health Control Association said that the dogs at the Ruifang Animal Shelter were very friendly toward people.


Members of the Livestock Health Control Association’s disease prevention and control team took out their phones to photograph the adorable cats in the cattery.

Wang Yen-Hsu, director of the Ruifang Animal Shelter, also shared practical experience in animal disease prevention and control in rural areas with the Korean delegation. The four districts of Ruifang, Pingxi, Shuangxi, and Gongliao cover a relatively large area. In consideration of challenges such as the high proportion of older residents in rural areas and limited transportation, the Ruifang Animal Shelter not only provides standard disease prevention and control services but also offers home-visit rabies vaccinations by veterinarians. It also provides free taxi shuttle reservations to help residents access disease prevention and control services and visit the animal shelter.

The delegation from the Livestock Health Control Association also took an interest in the transformation of Taiwan’s animal shelters under its zero-euthanasia policy. New Taipei City shared how its shelters have gradually evolved from simply housing animals to providing medical care, behavioral training, and adoption matching. Through source management of stray dogs and cats and greater owner responsibility, the city is working to reduce the number of animals entering the shelter system at the source.

In recent years, the Ruifang Animal Shelter has continuously attracted international attention because of its distinctive features, such as its disease prevention and control design, emphasis on animal welfare, and services for rural communities. At the 2025 Asia for Animals Conference, a total of 42 animal welfare professionals from 17 countries and regions visited the facility for exchanges. The Korean delegation’s inclusion of the shelter in its overseas field study itinerary further demonstrates its increasingly significant role as a gateway for the international community to learn about Taiwan’s experience in animal sheltering and disease prevention and control.

The New Taipei City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office stated that while Taiwan and South Korea face different challenges in animal disease prevention and control and sheltering, disease prevention and control, source management, and animal welfare are all shared areas of concern. This exchange was more than a tour of the shelter environment; it provided an opportunity for frontline personnel to share their experience in disease prevention and control procedures, shelter management, and services for rural communities. Going forward, New Taipei City will continue to share its experience in animal sheltering and animal welfare through international exchanges, with the aim of enhancing the quality of animal care and disease prevention and control.


Section Chief Kim of the Livestock Health Control Association said that she has more than 20 cats at home, so she is particularly drawn to cats.


Section Chief Kim of the Livestock Health Control Association interacted with a dog using treats and said that the dog was very well socialized.