Taiwan decides to kill 154 highly priced cats: Popular protests, president reacts

Coast Guard had investigated a fishing ship from China on Thursday. After conducting the scan for Ovidius, officials took the fishing boat and discovered 62 cages containing cats of different races.

These animals are estimated to have the price of the new Taiwanese dollars [or, about $500,000].

The decision was made for these animals to submit to euthanasia on Saturday, which happened to be the International Day of the Unspoiled Animals, reports Guardian.

Government officials also said the decision to kill cats was due to unknown origin and the risk they posed in biosecurity, but drastic measures were strongly protested by Taiwanese.

Taiwan has high rates of ownership of domestic animals, a thriving industry.

The protests also sparked the public reaction of Taiwan's president, Tsai Inngwen, who also holds two cats, who often show up in press posts.

Tsai said she was sad about this decision, but for their deaths she blamed smugglers. /Periscope