TAICHUNG (TVBS News) — In Taiwan, dedicated dog owners often view their pets as members of the family.
However, on New Year's Eve (Dec. 31) shoppers were aghast to hear loud barks coming from inside a car parked in a retail store lot — clearly, the desperate calls for help were of an animal left locked up and forgotten by its owner.
The owner could not be located until two hours later.
The retail store wasn't able to call the owner, and the Department of Animal Health couldn't come to the scene because it is closed on weekends.
When the police arrived they couldn't break the window either, because of local regulations.
"People can't bear it if they are locked up for half an hour, let alone dogs," a dog lover said. "To me, a dog is not an animal, it is family."