2013年10月協會接獲舉報，有民眾在臉書上散布虐待動物的影片，影片內容則是有民眾在台中地區進行鬥犬活動。因此舉涉及嚴重動物、侵害動物福利，協會調查專員也立刻將影片等證據通報台中動物保護防疫處。由於情節重大，台中市動保處便進一步將此案移送台中地檢署偵辦。在協會調查專員長達一年的追蹤以及公文往返之下，最後也終於在今年10月底得知，苗栗地方法院對此作出了簡易判決，判決結果為「拘役30天，得易科罰金」。
其實許多動物受虐影片的案件，都因查無當事人資訊，最後根本無法依法進行後續裁罰。因此協會內部同仁在得知此案受到司法判決之後，也都十分雀躍。只是令人感到遺憾的是，當事人的行為其實最重可依法處以一年以下有期徒刑，但法官做出的判決，卻還可讓其易科罰金三萬元。
因此，協會也希望司法單位能夠落實動物保護法的精神，並依法給予適當的徒刑，否則動保法中的自由刑責部分將形同虛設。同樣的道理，即使日後修法成功加重了罰則，但假若執法單位仍舊持續給予最低限度的裁罰，那麼動保團體以及立法委員對於修法的長久努力也將無法彰顯其成效。
最後，協會也呼籲民眾，動物不該只因為人類的娛樂、賭博…等目的，而被強迫進行打鬥。除了違反現有法令之外，此舉也嚴重的傷害了動物福利。但由於相關案件主要都是出現在隱密性較高的社團性活動，因此也非常需要愛護動物的熱心民眾協助舉發，若有民眾得知鬥犬、鬥雞…等情事，也請將其錄影下來，並提供相關證據至本協會調查部門，以嚴正杜絕此等行為。
In the October of 2013, it was reported to the Taiwan SPCA that someone had posted a video of animal abuse on Facebook, a video depicting a dogfight in Taichung. Since this involved severe animal abuse and violated the Animal Protection Act, our inspectors immediately reported this footage to the Taichung Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office. Owing to the severity of the case, the Taichung Animal Protection Office handed it over to the Taichung District Prosecutors Office. After one year of tracking the case and the sending of documents back and forth, we finally learned that, at in October 2014, the Taiwan Miaoli District Court had sentenced the offender to 30 days of detention or to pay a fine”.
Actually, it often occurs that we receive videos of animal abuse that have been shared on social media but cannot find the individual involved, and therefore cannot take any legal action to punish the person. So, upon hearing that there had been a sentencing, we were all very excited. However, it is very unfortunate that the litigant was sentenced to less than the maximum possible time of a year, and that the judge would allow the time to be commuted into a fine of NT$ 30, 000.
Therefore, we hope that the judiciary can implement the spirit of the Animal Protection Act, and properly sentence abusers. If not, the latitude of the punishments makes the Animal Protection Act meaningless. Even if the Animal Protection Act is successfully amended with heavier punishments in the future, if judges still sentence violators to the lowest possible imprisonment, then all the long-term efforts to amend the current animal protection act by animal welfare organisations and legislators would be in vain.
Finally, we remind the public that animals should not be forced to fight merely to entertain people or for gambling. This is not only against the law, but also is severe animal abuse. Because animal fighting only takes place underground, it’s very hard to catch offenders, therefore we need the help of the public to report animal abuse cases. If you are aware of dogfights or cockfights, please videotape them and report them to our inspectorate!
法律小常識：
動物保護法
第10條
對動物不得有下列之行為：
一、以直接、間接賭博、娛樂、營業、宣傳或其他不當目的，進行動物之 間或人與動物間之搏鬥。
二、以直接、間接賭博為目的，利用動物進行競技行為。
三、以直接、間接賭博或其他不當目的，而有虐待動物之情事，進行動物 交換或贈與。
四、於運輸、拍賣、繫留等過程中，使用暴力、不當電擊等方式驅趕動物 ，或以刀具等具傷害性方式標記。
五、於屠宰場內，經濟動物未經人道昏厥，予以灌水、灌食、綑綁、拋投 、丟擲、切割及放血。
六、其他有害社會善良風俗之行為。
第27-1條
散布、播送或販賣違反第六條、第十條或第十二條第一項之文字、圖畫、 聲音、影像、電磁紀錄或其他物品，或公然陳列，或以他法供人觀賞、聽 聞者，處一年以下有期徒刑、拘役或科或併科三萬元以下罰金。但為供學術研究或公益用途者，不在此限。
Law Tip
Animal Protection
Act Article 10
Actions prohibited from being applied to animals:
1. To arrange fighting between animals or between a human and an animal for the purposes of direct or indirect gambling, entertainment, business
considerations, propaganda, or any other inappropriate purpose.
2. To use animals to compete for the purpose of direct or indirect gambling.
3. To trade or give away an animal for the purpose of direct or indirect gambling or other inappropriate purposes which lead to animal abuse.
4. To use violence or electric shocks inappropriately to goad animals when transporting, auctioning, and leashing them, or to use a knife to mark them.
5. To force drinking, to force-feed, to tie, to toss, to throw, to cut, to blood let livestock, or to kill them in an inhumane way in slaughter houses.
6. Any behavior that is in violation of the decency of society.
Article 27-1
Forwarding, broadcasting, or selling any description, depiction, voice recording, video, CD or any other material, that violates Articles 6, 10, or Article 12, Clause 1, or to display these in public or to allow people to watch or listen to these by any means, can be sentenced by the maximum of one year imprisonment or detention and / or a fine of NT$ 30, 000. The purposes of academic research or public welfare is not subject to this article.
