Ferret Chalkboard Cleaner: Taoyuan City Investigates Alleged Animal Abuse at Junior College

A Taoyuan Junior College faces scrutiny after a video surfaces showing a teacher seemingly using a ferret to clean a chalkboard, sparking an animal welfare investigation.

Taipei, Taiwan – The Taoyuan City government is launching an investigation into a junior college following the circulation of a video on social media that appears to show a teacher using a live ferret to clean a chalkboard.

The video, originally posted on Instagram, depicts what seems to be a teacher at Hsin Sheng Junior College of Medical Care and Management in Taoyuan using the ferret to wipe away chalk. The clip was captioned "freshman life on campus" but was subsequently removed from the school's public Instagram account after allegations of animal abuse emerged.

In response to the incident, the school issued a statement indicating that while they have not yet spoken with the part-time teacher featured in the video, they believe the animal was unlikely to have been mistreated, given the presence of the ferret's owner and other students. Nevertheless, the school administration has vowed to investigate the matter thoroughly. They will also reiterate the policy against bringing pets to class and emphasize the importance of treating animals with care.

Taoyuan Animal Welfare Office Commissioner Wang Te-chi (王得吉) has announced that officials from the office will visit the school to speak with the teacher and assess the ferret's well-being. This visit is scheduled for Monday. Commissioner Wang highlighted that under Taiwan's Animal Protection Act, pet owners are legally obligated to protect their animals from harm, harassment, and injury.

Commissioner Wang further explained that if an animal is illegally harmed, resulting in its death, the responsible party could face up to two years in prison and a fine ranging from NT$200,000 (US$6,023) to NT$2 million. He confirmed that according to the school's information, the ferret's owner was present in the classroom and had allowed the part-time math instructor to hold the animal. The video was initially posted on the Instagram account associated with the school's nursing program.

According to Wang, the ferret's owner recorded the video. He also pointed out that the teacher's actions might appear inappropriate, but it is possible that the recording's angle distorted the actual scenario.