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Rude! Pet turns 15, receives text message: 'If it dies, handle deregistration.' Animal welfare office slammed

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • A Hsinchu City Animal Welfare Office text message to a pet owner about deregistering a pet over 15 years old has sparked public outrage.
  • The message's blunt wording, especially for owners whose pets recently died, was criticized as insensitive and rude.
  • Netizens compared it unfavorably to gentler notifications from other cities, and a local councilor suggested revising the message.

A recent text message from the Hsinchu City Animal Welfare Office has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with many calling its wording insensitive and unnecessarily harsh.

It's simply rubbing salt in the wound!

— NetizenReacting to the blunt wording of the animal welfare office's text message.

The message, sent to residents with pets aged 15 and over, stated: "You have pets over 15 years old registered under your name. Please verify. If the pet has died, please handle the deregistration according to regulations. Failure to comply may result in a fine of up to NT$15,000."

This text message is like asking if your family died.

— NetizenExpressing outrage over the insensitive tone of the notification.

This notification caused significant distress, particularly for a netizen who had recently lost two cats and had already completed the deregistration process. The blunt phrasing was widely condemned online as "rubbing salt in the wound" and lacking basic empathy. Many felt the office could have used a more compassionate approach to convey the necessary information.

There could have been a more appropriate and gentle way to achieve the reminder, but it was delivered with such an inhuman tone. If I received it, I would be furious too.

— NetizenCriticizing the lack of empathy in the official communication.

Comparisons were quickly drawn to the notification methods used by other cities, such as Taipei, which reportedly uses softer language like "Please confirm the pet's current status." Local councilor Cai Hui-ting also weighed in, agreeing that the message could benefit from a more humane tone and stating she would recommend revisions to the standard text.

So rude.

— NetizenDescribing the tone of the text message.
About this summary

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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