Ahead of International Pet Day, Hsieh Chao-chi Proposes Creating the 'Zuonan Pet-Friendly Living Zone' and Developing the Pet Economy

In preparation for International Pet Day on August 8, Zuoying and Nanzih City Council candidate Hsieh Chao-chi has unveiled his vision for a 'Zuonan Pet-Friendly Living Zone.' He advocates integrating life education, animal welfare, and the pet economy to create a safe and comfortable environment for pet owners and their pets through improved public facilities and supportive policies, thereby generating new business opportunities in local tourism and consumption.

Hsieh proposes promoting pet-friendly parks, certified pet-friendly shopping districts, and adoption matchmaking platforms, hoping that compassion for life will drive new local economic opportunities.

Hsieh notes that an increasing number of households now treat pets as family members. Pets have evolved beyond companionship to become significant drivers of consumption, tourism, and service industries. He believes urban governance should adapt accordingly, creating environments that support both animal welfare and the needs of pet owners and related industries, allowing compassion for life and urban economic growth to advance together.

Recently, Hsieh shared stories about his life with three rescued cats at home. These cats were successively rescued and adopted by his wife. Once wary strays roaming the streets, they have now become the most affectionate and beloved members of the family. This experience has deeply moved him, revealing to him that every stray animal carries a story waiting to be embraced.

He calls on the public to support 'Adopt, Don’t Shop,' giving more stray pets the chance to find warm homes and demonstrating the city’s respect and care for life.

Earlier, Hsieh visited the 'Ai Mao Yisheng Tourist Factory' to understand the current state of the pet industry. He pointed out that the pet industry now encompasses a complete supply chain, including food, supplies, grooming, medical care, lodging, and end-of-life services. It not only creates a massive consumer market but also drives tourism and local service sector development. He believes that besides semiconductor and concert economies, Kaohsiung is also well-positioned to develop healing and companion economies.

Regarding development in Zuoying and Nanzih, Hsieh highlights Zuoying’s tourist attractions like Lotus Pond and Nanzih’s concentration of technology industries. By connecting pet-friendly commercial districts, specialty pet-friendly stores, weekend pet markets, walking events, and pet-inclusive travel routes, he believes convenience for pet owners will improve and attract visitors from outside areas who wish to travel with their pets, thus stimulating local consumption and business opportunities.

He also mentioned that during grassroots visits, he frequently hears concerns from pet owners: lack of pet-friendly facilities in parks, insufficient pet-allowed stores, heavy financial burden from veterinary costs, and difficulty finding rental housing due to pet ownership. These, he says, are pressing civic issues the city government must actively address.

Therefore, he proposes building the 'Zuonan Pet-Friendly Living Zone' by expanding pet-friendly parks and walking trails with drinking fountains, cleaning stations, and waste bag dispensers; promoting pet-friendly certification for commercial districts, public markets, and specialty stores; establishing a shelter animal adoption matchmaking platform and expanding microchip implantation, spay/neuter, and vaccination services; and collaborating with veterinarians, civic groups, and volunteers to build a community animal care network aimed at reducing straying and abandonment at the source.

Hsieh also advocates promoting life education to teach children respect for life and responsible pet ownership, reducing impulsive adoptions and subsequent abandonments. He states that being friendly to pets means being friendly to families—and represents an investment in the city’s future.

He emphasizes that if elected to the city council, he will continue supervising the municipal government to integrate cross-departmental resources from agriculture, tourism, education, social affairs, and civil administration to advance pet-friendly policies. His goal is for Zuoying and Nanzih to become Kaohsiung’s most compassionate and distinctive pet-friendly living zone, where care for life, local economy, and urban development grow together.