The Blue & Gold visits animal cafes in Taipei

Recently, there has been a growing surge of animal cafes caused by their rising popularity on social media. The world’s first cat cafe, called Cat Flower Garden, opened in Taiwan in 1998. Since then, many other cafes featuring different animals have been established. Animal cafes enable customers to interact with animals ranging from housepets to exotic creatures. However, the ethics behind animal cafes have long been a topic of controversy. There have been many news reports of cafe owners neglecting or physically abusing their animals. Critics argue that such cafes exploit animals for profit, while supporters believe that such cafes offer animal lovers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to interact with animals.

The Blue & Gold visited three animal cafes to create a guide to some ethical animal cafes located in the Taipei area.

Lang Lang Don’t Cry

By Erin Wu (‘25)

Nestled into a small alleyway, Lang Lang Don’t Cry, a dog and cat adoption shelter/cafe, is surprisingly popular amongst people of all ages. Although the narrow storefront seems to be unassuming at first glance, it opens up to a lively space, bustling with sounds of laughter and delight.

The cafe, while being a space frequented by animal lovers who wish to play with dogs and cats, also operates as an adoption center, where customers are welcome to adopt the stray animals taken in. The dogs and cats are kept and taken care of in separate areas to not overstimulate them. There are approximately five dogs and double the amount of cats being sheltered at the moment.

waiters having to make their way around to ensure all was running smoothly, the dog area does get too crowded at times, even with a limited number of customers allowed in at a time. The cats seem to have calmer natures and rarely cause a fuss, most likely due to them being tucked into small boxes and spaces most of the time. Though the animals seldom come up to the customers, they are all very friendly and are unlikely to put anyone at risk of getting hurt.

Dogs can be found resting in their area of the cafe. [ERIN WU/THE

Wildmii Safari Showroom and Cafe

With energetic dogs free to run about, customers eager to follow them around and

By Aina Chen (‘26)

Tucked away in a small alleyway not far from Mingsheng Road is a quaint coffee shop called Wildmii Safari Showroom and Cafe. It showcases exotic reptiles such as chameleons, pythons, tortoises and tree frogs as well as mammals like hedgehogs, prairie mice, Eurasian red squirrels and sugar gliders.

Despite its somewhat hidden location, this cafe is a very popular weekend spot for parents bringing their children to interact with animals. The cafe can also sometimes be booked for private events, so it is always a good idea to check their website and social media pages before making plans to visit.

This cafe features different themes seven days of a week. For instance, Monday and Thursday are adult-only days, where the cafe is catered to suit people who need a quiet space to work, while Tuesdays, Wednesdays and the weekend cater to families with younger children and allows for a range of

Pythonism

By Katherine Ma (‘24)

With a small storefront by the road, Pythonism is not the typical animal cafe. As the name suggests, the cafe specializes in snakes and other reptilians. Customers are allowed to interact with the cafe’s reptilian residents and are also given the opportunity to purchase pythons that the cafe offers. Thus, not only is the cafe a great meeting place, but it also gives potential owners a chance to bond and pick out their new pets.

Despite its small size, there is usually no waiting time to be seated. Inside, there is a communal table and a couch seating area by the window. The rest of the cafe’s space is dedicated to shelves with containers holding ball pythons and a few lizards. Each animal gets its own container, which ranges in size depending on the animal. Most of the containers are padded with tissue and

As for the food, most of their desserts and drinks are on par with what you’d expect at a cafe. The price ranges are also reasonable, with each dessert and drink ranging from around NT$150-200. There are also light meals offered, however they are only available at certain times. Some of the most popular items are the pancakes, pudding and risotto. Though the food isn’t animal interaction paired with educational activities.

The interior of the cafe is quite spacious, there are large wooden tables and the surroundings are filled with plant decorations and animal figurines, giving the cafe a very forest-like atmosphere. Animals are put in varying sizes of glass cases along the wooden shelves, allowing guests to observe the animals up close. The glass cases imitate the animals’ habitats, with lush greenery for tree frogs and a sandy landscape with dead logs for sugar gliders. Each case also has a labeled description of the animal’s name, habitat and characteristics. The lighting of the cafe is also dim and warm, creating a cozy ambiance. On certain days, animals could be taken out of their cases. However, on most days, animals remain in their cases for their safety. When it comes to food and beverages, this cafe offers items that you would normally see in a regular cafe, such as milk tea, waffles and light meals, with prices have a small bowl of water. However, there were a few larger display boxes with decorations imitating the creatures’ natural habitats.

Besides the contained reptilians, the cafe also features two free-roaming turtles, one of which is about the size of a baby toddler. Customers are welcome to pet the turtles but have to mind their steps as the smaller turtle can sometimes be found under the tables and chairs.

When it comes to handling the snakes, the staff make sure to guide firsttime customers. After the staff gives brief instructions, the customer must ask for permission to hold their first snake. After handling their first snake, the customer can choose the next snake they would like to handle by themselves. In regards to the selection of snakes that customers are allowed to interact with, only several anything special, the atmosphere is what most customers come for. ranging from NT$100 to around NT$300. Something really special the cafe offers is the unique names of each item on the menu. For example, items that translated to“jaguar blowing bubbles” and “groundhog latte.” All in all, the food is quite similar to other cafes in Taipei. are open to being handled. Also, there is a limit of only one snake per person at a time to ensure the safety of both the customer and the snake.

Because the ethics of animal cafes have become a controversial topic, it is important to evaluate the care animals receive at said cafes. Here, especially because the cats and dogs are strays, it feels even more necessary for them to receive the love and care they deserve. It’s safe to say that the animals are all well taken care of at this cafe, with multiple rules set in place to prevent them from getting hurt while playing with customers. The animals also regularly take naps, undisturbed from the public, and are allowed to roam freely as they wish.

Overall, Lang Lang Don’t Cry is a refreshing cafe to spend an afternoon, especially if you love cats and dogs. The atmosphere is upbeat and fun, albeit a little hectic at times.

Overall, the cafe was quite clean. However, there were also occasionally overwhelming waves of stench coming from the animal cases. For individuals who are not going for the woodsy, forestry vibe, the cafe may not be the best option.

Simply put, Wildmii Safari Showroom and Cafe is the perfect animal cafe for anyone looking to hang out, study, or have a cup of coffee in a woodsy, forestry-themed cafe. It is hard to find a place where there are so many animals without having to take a visit to the zoo in Taipei. Moreover, the description of the animals labeled on each case and the knowledgeable staff members also make this a really great educational opportunity.

For customers looking to purchase a snake, the prices of the pythons range from around NT$6,000 to around NT$30,000. The cafe also lists the available pythons for sale on their website (https://www. pythonismylife.com/).

All in all, given its quiet environment, Pythonism is an ideal place for studying, hanging out with friends or having a unique experience. The cafe is also great for reptile lovers who may not be able to own their own reptiles or are on the search to own one. Furthermore, the owner and staff are passionate and well-educated about the animals. They make sure that all customers are being respectful and have a fun time when interacting with the cafe’s reptiles.