In the early 1992, a brutal leisure game called "fish hooking" was introduced among the people in Taiwan. A fishhook without any bait is used to hook live fish in a captive pond and causing extensive bruises and cuts all over the fish. Numerous "Fish Hooking Ponds" were sprung out for leisure fun in no time. In order to stop such a social malady on animal cruelty, Master Shih Chao-Fei (the Founding President of the Association) then invited many social elite to initiate an "Anti-Fish Hooking Movement". Supported by all walks of lives, Mr. Hao Po-Chun, the Premier of the Executive Yuan at that time reacted to this public opinion by instructing government of various levels to clamp down the fish hooking businesses. It was because of the social pressure from every public voice that the fish hooking unrest was eventually suppressed.

　Because of this incident, many of the participants in the movement were deeply convinced that people in Taiwan did not respect life, and they have unmindfully tortured lives for a long time resulting in a take it for granted attitude. Such a phenomenon would be impossible to witness an overall improvement by a single news upsurge. There was a need for dedicated people to establish an official organization and to train, promote, and supervise systemically over an extended period, so that the idea of "protect the animals and care for life" would be rooted deeply in the hearts of the people. After many meetings and discussions of the enthusiastic people, the Republic of China Life Conservationist Association was then founded officially in January 1993.

The Objectives   

　To care for the animals is a starting point to care for life.

    Based on the belief that "All Living Creatures Are Equal", the animal rights should be advocated, the animal welfare is to be endeavored, and the objectives of conserving wild animals and maintaining ecological balance are to be achieved. Various appropriate actions through legislation and education are taken in order to save animals from tragic destiny such as captivity, torture, abandonment, injury, brutal killing and extermination. This will enable the "individual life" of each animal would possess at least its own life dignity and living right.

Why promoting animal rights

    The human beings share with other animals the same earth. We rely mutually on each other like lips to teeth. There is no any species that could survive totally on their own. Mankind should not be possessed with such a superior "anthropocentrism". Moreover, different communities will strive for the rights and interests of the human beings. Animals however, are the minorities of the minorities that are both dumb and unable to vote.

    Consequently, "to care for the animals and to care for life as a starting point" would cultivate the mankind to learn how to treat other animals' lives and welfare in equality. In fact it is the promotion of a more popular and in-depth social morality for the entire human community.

　The liberation of the animals is indeed the emancipation of the human beings from the prejudice of "Species Discrimination".

What kind of animals should be cared for

Wild animals - those animals that survive in their primary habitat with natural environment Economy animals - those animals with economic interests that are raised and slaughtered Companion animals - those animals that are kept and adopted to accompany human being Experimental animals - those animals that are raised and adopted for scientific research purposes.

Specific working policies

1. Wild animals:
   1. To supervise the implementation of wild animals conservation laws
   2. To endeavor for the preservation and protection of wild animals habitat
   3. Educational and promotional activities on "No Business Transaction, No Killing", and "Refuse to Eat, Refuse to Buy, and Refuse to Adopt" for wild animals.
2. Economic animals
   1. To supervise the implementation of animals protection laws
   2. To intensify the improvement on farm animals welfare
   3. To appeal to the consumers to change their dietary habit such as to consume less meat or vegetarian meals
3. Companion animals
   1. To promote the "Three No" policies of "No abandonment, No Torture, and No Killing of the Companion Animals".
   2. The objection of Euthanasia and the promotion of the "Three Breeding" policies of "Adopting, Hospice and Appropriate Care of the stray animals.
   3. To conduct research and development of vegetarian animal feed for pet animals.
4. Experimental animals
   1. To encourage digital dissection program to replace live animals experiments
   2. To lobby proper legislation to ban insignificant and brutal animal experiments
   3. To press the experimental animal ethical committee to leverage their supervisory duties
5. Education and promotion
   1. Publication of the quarterly Animals' Voice of Taiwan.
   2. Publications of books, video tapes, cards, manuals and posters.
   3. Construction of the website with regular electronic newspaper.
   4. Delivery public speeches at schools and teachers' seminar. Assisting teachers and students to establish animal protection communities.
   5. To conduct seminar and training camps.