In 1998, Mr Su was driving around with his girlfriend Leaf, looking for a cat. Leaf was looking to adopt one, but at that time information on cats to be adopted was still very difficult to come by. They searched animal hospitals, the markets, everywhere, putting in considerable effort, before finally finding the "right cat." They couldnt help but think that if there was only a website that served as a platform for people to easily find out adoption information, then things would be much better.

It was because of this thought that Mr. Su and Leaf rounded up some friends, and together raised the money to establish the ¡§Meet Pets¡¨ website. At that time digital cameras had not yet become popular, but they went out and bought two of them. Their first ¡§case¡¨ took them to Taoyuan, where a kind hearted woman who took in stray dogs was being forced to move out of her home. They went to help the woman take photos of her rescued dogs, and post them on the internet, and discovered that this really could increase the adoption rate. It became evident that one person taking in 100 animals, is not as good as 100 people each taking in and caring for one, and Mr. Su and Leaf continued to find loving homes for the stray animals one by one. And 10 years quickly passed. Now, every month you can find information on hundreds of animals. And the number of cats that they personally have given a home to has also increased, from one, to two, to three, to ten and even 20!

They began to face up to the real problem: when it comes to street cats and dogs, however much you provide for them, it is never ending. Finding homes is merely treating the problem, not curing it. A keen volunteer discovered that in other countries the TNR approach had already been tried out for several years. Data clearly shows that this method is not only humane, but has more effect in reducing the number of stray animals. Consequently, they decided to start doing it themselves. They gathered a group of volunteers, and set off around Taipei ¡§cat trapping¡¨. The cats were taken to be de-sexed, and then released at the same spot they were found. Catching cats may sound easy, but cats are smart, and not easily taken in. Therefore Su, Leaf and the volunteers often need to go and feed the cats and gain their trust first. They can often be found in the wind and the rain, intently waiting for cats to take the bait; sometimes having to go home with cages still empty.

The association has been quietly doing this for quite a few years now, and in 2006 they finally recieved the approval of Taipei City Government and the then city mayor, Ma Ying-jeou. They say that previously many people felt that there was nothing they could do concerning animals being trapped and then destroyed, that it was the animals ¡§fate¡¨. But in truth we can change their fate. Putting the animals down in not the only choice, and TNR has given people something new to think about, says Su. There are in fact many individuals and groups who are concerned about stray animals. If the government can act and gain the trust of these groups, then together they can have a much greater effect.

Of course the plans for TNR have met with queries from residents. But Su believes that establishing public awareness and harmoniously getting along is part of the plan, as community public opinion can also be very powerful. And, in truth, a lot of misunderstandings are down to not fully knowing the facts. So, Su says, they need to let people know, what exactly it is they are up to. In addition to informing residents about TNR, letting them know it is possible to reduce the number of street cats without harming them, is a good education for the children. In the future the organization hopes to not only continue with its TNR efforts, but also reach out further into the community; giving the community the ability to implement TNR, and also encouraging a community advisor, who can offer the most direct help to residents with cat issues.

Performing TNR on a fairly large scale of course requires a considerable amount of money, and the group¡¦s funds often fall short. When donations are low, they create and sell their own charity calendars, stickers and clothing.

Su reminds people that having a cat is not just fun. It is ten years or more of responsibility. A cat is part of your life, and you are everything to the cat. He hopes that all owners will see their cat as a member of the family, rather than just a pet. Before you take on a cat you must carefully consider several things. First there is the expense (as well as feed, cat litter and innoculations, the cat may also get sick), and second, the time and company that the cat requires. The group looks forward to the day when all cats get the love and attention they deserve.