Lawmakers demand better protections for search and rescue dogs after Wilson's death

A search and rescue dog named Wilson, lauded for its role in the Hualien earthquake, died last year during training after an accidental fall. This incident has prompted a group of Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers to call for significant improvements in the care and management of working dogs.

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Wilson's death, which occurred in May of the previous year, revealed loopholes in the standard operating procedures during training and transport to the veterinary hospital.

At a press conference, Legislator Kuo Yu-ching, along with colleagues Wu Pei-yi and Chang Ya-lin, outlined four key demands. These include a complete calculation of working hours with proper record-keeping, immediate reporting of any injuries or illnesses with a mandatory veterinary assessment before returning to duty, the establishment of a professional review process for major fatalities, and appropriate public disclosure of information with external professional audits.

Kuo Yu-ching emphasized that Wilson's death, which occurred in May of the previous year, revealed loopholes in the standard operating procedures during training and transport to the veterinary hospital. She argued that comprehensive records of working dogs' hours, training, health, injuries, and on-site conditions would enable a swift and accurate determination of the truth through a robust system.

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If working dogs' regular working hours, training, health, injuries, and on-site conditions were fully recorded, the truth could be quickly restored through the system.

Wu Pei-yi highlighted the critical roles these working dogs play in national service, including search and rescue, quarantine, drug detection, and disaster relief. She questioned the lack of complete records to assess training safety, despite previous efforts to promote insurance for working dogs. Chang Ya-lin pointed out the current strain on resources, with only 53 handlers responsible for 84 search and rescue dogs nationwide and an annual budget of approximately $2 million NT dollars for the Fire Department. She stressed the need for simultaneous assessments of manpower, budget, and training environments to support any new regulations.

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These canine national teams, who cannot speak for themselves but work for the country, perform important frontline duties including search and rescue, quarantine, and drug detection.

Further discussions are planned with relevant authorities, handlers, and veterinary professionals to develop a system for investigating causes of death and serious injuries. This aims to fill existing gaps in the system and improve the overall welfare of working dogs. The Taiwan Working Dog Development Association and the Veterinary Law Reform Advocacy Association have also called for clearer legal definitions of "working dogs" in animal protection laws and better access to veterinary care for dogs in remote areas.

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When suspected non-natural deaths occur, it highlights the importance of the system. Although principles and methods exist, they need to be implemented.