The Cruelty of Cuteness

Generally speaking, Taiwanese people love cute things. They obsess over cute things. In fact, the very first thing I saw after I landed in this country was a Hello Kitty jumbo jet. Really. Cutesy pie cartoons are everywhere. People of all ages wear cartoons on their clothing, and I can’t seem to find a wallet without a bastardized version of Mickey Mouse on it. I even see clothing with cute literally written all over it. But for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The love of cuteness can be very sinister.

People here love to carry tiny dogs around with them. The main reason is that the dogs are cute, but another reason is that small dogs just work better in apartments. So when a dog is no longer cute, and no longer small, it’s time for it to move out.

Any visitor to Taipei will be alarmed at the sight of big stray dogs wandering the streets. Anywhere you visit, you are likely to see a stray dog or two. They are on the main streets, in the small alleys, and in the counties. According to a 2004 Taipei Times report, there are about 40,000 strays nationwide. But there is no reason to be afraid of these mangy beasts– most of the dogs are friendly former house pets, and the country is proudly rabies-free. Many other strays were born on the street, but they all keep to themselves. They don’t beg for food, and they don’t stalk people. I have never even seen two strays fight.

The dogs survive off of the goodwill of restaurant owners who leave leftovers on the street. But when it comes to medical attention, it seems like nobody can help. A few months ago, I saw a very skinny dog with a shriveled-up front paw hopping across the street. It was such a sad sight, and I wondered how long he had to live. I just saw the same dog again today, but there is nothing I can do to help. Taipei has a pound, but if the dogs aren’t adopted within one week, they are euthanized. This sickly dog would last longer without the pound’s help.

Every time it storms, or there is talk of a typhoon coming, I think about the poor dogs that are hungry, scared and cold just because they grew up.

I should mention that many individuals do adopt or care for strays. There are even small-scale rescue facilities, but only a small percentage of strays ever get help.