The Legislative Yuan passed amendments to the Animal Protection Law Thursday that stipulates that people who spread or distribute with ill intent videos and photos showing abuse of animals can be jailed or fined. The amendments were accompanied by new penalties amid frequent reports that distribution of videos and photos showing abuse of animals on the Internet is rampant due to a lack of legal basis to punish the behavior. Under the amendments, distributors or broadcasters of videos, audio clips, photos or text depicting animal cruelty can be sentenced to no more than one year in jail or fined less than NT$30,000. Under the existing law, public shelters can kill animals within seven days of their arrival if they have not been adopted by that time. This grace period has been increased to 12 days under the terms of the amendment. The law revisions also stipulate that to be eligible to own a pet, people must be aged 20 or over, compared with 15 under the existing stipulations. In the future, trade or transfer ownership of pets that are not microchipped will face fines ranging between NT$40,000 and NT$200,000, according to the amendments. 