Taipei:Animal welfare organizations have renewed efforts to secure a referendum on banning wild boar snares, submitting over 12,000 proposal forms to the Central Election Commission (CEC). This initiative follows a similar proposal that was rejected two years ago.
According to Focus Taiwan, the groups, including the Taiwan One Ecology Coalition and the Taiwan Animal Protection Monitor Network, collected the forms over a 35-day period. They are urging the CEC to allow the public to vote on banning these traps. Jerry Ko, a leading advocate, stated that approximately 6,000 forms were submitted for each of the two separate proposals.
The proposal process requires support from at least 0.01 percent of eligible voters from the last presidential election, equating to 1,955 individuals per proposal. If the CEC verifies these numbers, the groups must then gather at least 293,228 valid signatures for each proposal to move forward.
Wild boar snares use metal cables and spring-loaded mechanisms that pose a danger to various animals, causing severe injuries or fatalities. The welfare groups argue that current regulations are inadequate as they still permit the production and sale of these traps. They have submitted two proposals one seeks comprehensive legislation against the traps, while the other suggests amending the Animal Protection Act to limit their availability.
The proposals specifically exclude traditional Indigenous hunting traps, which are made from natural materials. The groups also propose alternative methods for farmers to protect crops, such as electric fences and netting.
The CEC previously rejected a similar initiative in 2024, citing existing regulations and unclear provisions for Indigenous hunting rights. The groups now emphasize the need for citizen-led legislative action and hope to align the referendum with the 2028 presidential election.
The CEC has a 60-day timeframe to conduct its initial review of the proposals.
