Pets Surpass Child Population As Taiwan's Birth Rate Crisis Worsens

TaiwanPlus News

More people are choosing to raise pets instead of kids, as the year-on-year birth rate falls for the 29th consecutive month. May saw less than 7,000 births, but over 15,000 deaths. Taiwan's population crisis is worsening as fewer people are choosing to start families, and the aging population grows.

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00:01A precious baby girl has made Ms. Li the happy mother of two.

00:18But the decision to have kids is increasingly rare in Taiwan,

00:22as the number of newborns declined again in May in a 29-month streak.

00:26Population statistics show that there were less than 7,000 births compared to last May,

00:32but over 15,000 deaths, resulting in an overall decline in the population.

00:40The government is aware of the population crisis,

00:43and in May launched new incentives like cash handouts, tax breaks,

00:48and extended parental leave to encourage young couples to have children.

00:51But while the human population drops, the pet population is growing.

00:57Government figures show that in 2025,

01:00the number of pet dogs and cats exceeded the number of children aged 14 and under by over half a

01:06million.

01:24As Taiwan's population faces a major crisis,

01:27the pressure grows on the government to find a solution.

01:30Howard Zhang and Tiffany Wong for Taiwan Plus.

01:33The leadership of the Ketua

01:35The Ketua

01:35On the Ketua

01:36The Ketua

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