Taiwan’s Spay/Neuter Expertise Reaches Palau: NCHU’s StrayLOHAS Project Expands Veterinary Diplomacy

Taiwan's experience in controlling stray animal populations through spay/neuter programs is now making an impact internationally, advancing the nation’s veterinary diplomacy efforts. The National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) USR project, StrayLOHAS Project: Stray Animal Reduction and Welfare Implementation (hereafter referred to as the Stray LOHAS Project), following its groundbreaking cross-border sterilization initiative in Guam in 2022, extended its mission to Palau from May 26 to 31 this year. The team was invited to assist local shelters with free clinics and sterilization surgeries. In addition, ongoing partnerships with Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia continue to promote StrayLOHAS spay/neuter model for underprivileged animals, which has been successfully implemented in Taiwan for over eight years.

Supported by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education through the Higher Education Sprout Project, NCHU’s Stray LOHAS Project has been dedicated to training a new generation of veterinarians since 2017. Over the years, the program has trained more than 40 veterinarians and over 300 university students to enhance veterinary care and spay/neuter capacity at local shelters, aiming to address the persistent overpopulation of stray dogs and cats. In 2019, NCHU established the StrayLOHAS Medical Center on campus to provide clinical services for public and private shelters in Taichung City while offering hands-on training for veterinary students. The program has also continuously organized spay/neuter outreach in rural areas across central and southern Taiwan. In 2022, it expanded internationally, sharing Taiwan’s successful experience with countries facing similar challenges.
Palau, one of Taiwan’s few diplomatic allies, maintains a longstanding and stable friendship with Taiwan. In late May, NCHU dispatched a four-member veterinary team to the Koror State Animal Clinic/Shelter (K.S.G) to provide free medical consultations and spay/neuter surgeries for local dogs and cats. The team also assisted in establishing standardized procedures to improve clinical efficiency and medical quality.

This collaboration stemmed from the team’s 2022 visit to Guam, which received highly positive feedback. As a result, the University of Guam facilitated the introduction of the NCHU team to the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Palau. The goal is to share Taiwan’s expertise to strengthen the professional capacity of Palau’s shelter veterinarians, promote responsible pet ownership, and ultimately improve local stray animal management.

The mission also received corporate support. IDEXX Taiwan provided free diagnostic kits to screen for four mosquito- and tick-borne diseases common among local animals, while MSD Animal Health Taiwan donated 11-in-1 vaccines and flea/tick preventives to help reduce zoonotic disease transmission. The NCHU veterinarians offered free testing and vaccination services for local pets.
Palau, with approximately 340 islands across 16 states, has only one veterinarian who performs spay/neuter surgeries almost entirely on a voluntary basis. Dr. Shiun-Long Lin, associate professor at NCHU’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and co-leader of the project, remarked, “Our mission is not just about performing surgeries. More importantly, we aim to help local veterinarians establish a sustainable operating model and instill correct animal welfare concepts to create lasting change.”

During the visit, the team also observed several prevalent issues, such as insufficient vaccinations and low rates of sterilization. Lead veterinarian Dr. Yi-Hsun Wu commented, “Palau’s small population, limited access to information, and shortage of veterinary expertise and medical resources closely resemble the rural conditions Taiwan faced years ago.” She added that this collaborative effort brings new perspectives to Palau, raising awareness across the islands about the importance of sterilization and encouraging more pet owners to proactively seek shelter services.

In addition to the Palau mission, the team visited Vietnam from May 17 to 21, collaborating with Vietnam National University of Agriculture and Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry. Vietnamese veterinary students are scheduled to visit Taiwan in July for clinical internships, international workshops, and online courses designed to share StrayLOHAS’s successful training model. In August, the team will also partner with SPCA Selangor in Malaysia to participate in a large-scale spay/neuter campaign in Perak State, further refining and sharing its medical care model for underprivileged animals.
Beyond clinical services, the StrayLOHAS Project actively promotes responsible pet ownership and animal welfare education. NCHU has introduced an animal welfare curriculum and four interdisciplinary courses open to students across multiple institutions, gradually incorporating U.S. shelter medicine knowledge into its program.

Through continued international exchange and experience sharing, the project aspires to develop adaptable solutions to stray animal challenges worldwide. By sharing Taiwan’s expertise in underprivileged animal care and veterinary training with other nations while learning from their experiences, the team hopes to work collectively toward improved animal welfare globally.