Taichung: The Taiwan High Court Taichung Branch has mandated that Qingjing Farm, a well-known tourist destination, along with a contractor, pay NT$710,000 (US$22,536) in compensation for a 2021 incident where a horse bit and injured a child's ear. This decision overturns a previous ruling by a lower court that had cleared them of legal liability.
According to Focus Taiwan, the incident took place in April 2021 when a couple, surnamed Tsai and Lee, visited Qingjing Farm in Nantou's Ren'ai Township with their 2-year-old son. As the child's mother lifted him for a photograph outside a horse enclosure, one of the horses bit the boy's right ear, resulting in a fall and severe injury. The child suffered a torn ear with cartilage damage, necessitating reconstructive surgery, along with bruising behind the ear.
Initially, the Nantou District Court ruled that the farm and the contractor had fulfilled their duty to ensure visitor safety. The court noted that the horses were in a fenced area with a warning sign and a staff member present, and concluded that the mother had ignored warnings by approaching the horses too closely. Consequently, the court denied the family's claim for NT$2.31 million in compensation.
However, on appeal, the Tsai family contended that they had not seen the warning signs or staff member due to a large crowd. They argued that it was inconsistent to have warning signs about biting without having higher fences to prevent such incidents.
The High Court's recent ruling partially supported the family's arguments, recognizing that the contractor had implemented additional safety measures after the incident, indirectly acknowledging prior inadequacies. The court ordered the farm and contractor to compensate the family for the boy's medical costs, emotional distress, and punitive damages.