Chien Chih-cheng

Chien Chih-cheng (d. 12 May 2016) was a Taiwanese veterinarian, animal welfare worker and director of an animal shelter. Her suicide caused outrage across Taiwan over the inadequate legislation regarding animal euthanasia, as well as the issue of cyberbullying by netizens and the press.

Background Chien graduated from the National Taiwan University as a veterinarian, achieving the highest score in Taiwan's Tekao (特考) civil service examination. She worked as the director of an animal shelter in Xinwu District. Chien appeared in a TV show which revealed that she had euthanized over 700 stray dogs in one year.

Death On 5 May 2016, Chien injected herself with the same drug she used to euthanize stray dogs, eventually passing on the 12th. She was 32. Chien was said to have left a note describing how much she loved animals and that she had taken her own life in an effort to communicate that "all lives are equal" and urge the government to do more to help abandoned animals.

Legacy One year after Chien's suicide, changes to Taiwan's Animal Protection Act (動物保護法), came into force, making it illegal to euthanize stray animals. The law was passed a year before Chien's suicide. The Taiwanese government additionally offered greater psychological support to shelter workers.