On Thursday, Taiwan's top ranked university opened Asia's first ever animal cancer research center, which is aimed at serving the island's pet owners.

Established at the National Taiwan University in Taipei, the facility also aims to research into the cancers that affect animals, particularly cats and dogs, and will also contribute to cancer research and therapy for humans.

"Studies have indicated that dogs and human beings share common places in some genes", Professor Liu Chen-shuan said.

Over the years, cancer has come out as the main killer of Taiwan's "companion animals", whose average life span has also managed to increase to 11 years from 7, over the past 8 decades.

With the center, the university hopes to treat up-to 28,000 cats and dogs every year, with about 2,000 diagnosed with cancer.

Taiwan currently has about 1.6 million pet dogs and cats.