Department of Sports, Taipei City Government

Volunteers at the Taipei Animal Shelter, operated by the Taipei City Animal Protection Office, have long been dedicated to caring for sheltered animals. Through their dedicated service, they provide care and companionship to stray dogs and cats as they wait to find loving homes. The volunteer team contributes more than 20,000 service hours each year. Rain or shine, they remain steadfast in their commitment, actively assisting with animal care, socialization training, and adoption promotion, becoming a constant source of warmth for shelter animals awaiting their forever homes. In recognition of their years of selfless dedication and outstanding service, as of 2026, the shelter's volunteers have received a total of one Gold, three Silver, and ten Bronze Volunteer Service Medals from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. These honors not only reflect the volunteers' compassion and respect for life, but also highlight their selfless dedication to protecting stray animals. 

The Taipei City Animal Protection Office (TCAPO) stated that, under the Regulations for Volunteer Service Awards, volunteers who accumulate 3,000, 5,000, and 8,000 hours of volunteer service are eligible to apply for the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Volunteer Service Medals, respectively. Statistics show that between 2023 and 2025, a total of 10 volunteers from the Taipei Animal Shelter received Volunteer Service Awards from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, including 4 Silver Medals and 7 Bronze Medals. In this year's award application, the Taipei Animal Shelter once again achieved excellent results. The shelter successfully nominated its outstanding volunteers for one Gold Medal (upgraded from Silver) and three Bronze Medals (first-time recipients). One of the award recipients, Xiao-Wei, said, "I joined the volunteer team in 2008, and over the past nearly 20 years, the 3,000 hours behind this Bronze Medal represent my unwavering commitment to every life. During this time, I have devoted myself to providing temporary medical foster care for injured and sick cats. To date, I have cared for more than 300 kittens and accompanied seriously ill senior cats through peaceful end-of-life care with dignity. I hope to continue taking action to bring hope to shelter animals and help change their fate." TCAPO noted that this dedication reflects the spirit of all shelter volunteers. Their quiet dedication over thousands of days is not only the highest recognition of the individuals being honored, but also brings warmth and positive energy to society. TCAPO hopes that the stories of these award-winning volunteers will inspire more people who love animals to participate in volunteer service and work together to change the lives of more shelter animals.

TCAPO stated that, to continue strengthening animal protection capacity, the second volunteer recruitment drive of 2026 is scheduled to take place from August to September. The recruitment guidelines and registration information will be announced in the Volunteer Recruitment section of the Taipei City Animal Protection Office website Link . Members of the public who are passionate about animals and share our commitment are encouraged to follow the recruitment updates and join our volunteer team as we work together to change the lives of more stray animals.