Taipei - The Taipei City government plans to enact laws to protect household pets by requiring ample living space and proper food, a newspaper said on Monday.

The Taipei Municipal Institute for Animal Health is drafting the bill on raising pets, which would become effective if passed by the Taipei City Council, the United Daily News said.

The bill, based on a similar bill adopted in Japan, would set specific requirements for raising pets and outline penalties for violations.

It would set rules on raising pets, such as outlining enough living space and proper food and drink for pets, the daily said.

"The regulations will start with rules on raising dogs and cats, and later be expanded to other pets," Yen Yi-feng, director of the institute, was quoted as saying.

"We will invite conservation experts, veterinarians and scholars to design rules like how much time a dog owner should spend walking the dog, and what is the proper food and drink for the pet," he said.

The institute also plans to print a guide for pet owners to teach them how to raise pets, he added.

However, some Taipei residents fear that if the regulations are too strict, some pet owners might abandon their pets.

Taipei pet owners have registered some 129,000 dogs and cats with the animal health institute, accounting for 82 per cent of the dogs and cats in Taipei City.

However, there are tens of thousands of stray dogs and cats on Taipei streets, most of which were purchased as pets but were abandoned when they grew old or became ill. (dpa)