The images in the following program are highly sensitive and may be as disturbing to viewers as they were to us. However, we have to show the truth about animal cruelty.

HOST: Kind, caring viewers, welcome to Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants. Today on Stop Animal Cruelty we will view excerpts from 『Humble Silence,』 (卑微的沉默) a documentary directed by Chu Che-Hsien (朱哲賢) and produced by the Formosa (Taiwan)-based animal protection group the Life Conservationist Association.
(關懷生命協會製作) First, we present some background information on the Association.

The Life Conservationist Association has its roots in a type of fishing called 『fish hooking』 that spread across Formosa (Taiwan) in １９９２.

In fish hooking, a hook without bait is cast into a pond filled with captive fish and used to hook the animals, who are eventually released back into the pond with cuts and scarring all over their bodies from the hooks.

The group’s founder, Master Shih Chao-Huei wished to stop this cruel practice and organized like-minded people, who named their cause 『The Anti-Fish-Hooking Movement.』 (「反挫魚運動」)

Due to the Movement’s efforts, Mr. Hao Po-Chun, (郝柏村) then-Premier of the Executive Yuan (Branch) of the Formosan (Taiwanese) government, ordered restrictions on businesses that offered this callous, so-called 『sport』 to the public. 

Eventually fish hooking was prohibited in Formosa (Taiwan) and a victory was achieved for the fish.  
Then, seeing the need for a group dedicated to other forms of animal protection and welfare, in January １９９３ the Life Conservationist Association was begun by many of the same people who had helped to ban fish hooking.

The Association’s video 『Humble Silence』 depicts the horrendous lives of some of the island’s animals, but it must be noted that the savage conditions the animals experience are not limited to those living in Formosa (Taiwan) but are unfortunately found the world over.

Animals are used and abused by humans in countless ways. Whether it is for clothing material such as wool, leather or fur; or for food or entertainment, there are always humane alternatives we can choose that do not involve harming, inflicting pain, or killing our animal co-inhabitants.

The answer to stopping cruelty to animals lies in viewing them not as property or inanimate objects but as sensitive, intelligent, beings with a wide spectrum of emotions, desires and needs and highly social natures.
Animals should be respected and treated as we would our own friends and family members.

Let’s now view some excerpts from 『Humble Silence.』