Is There a Unique Measure in Gwanak-gu's Animal Welfare Project?

Support for Hospital Costs Including Neutering Surgery and Vaccinations to Reduce Owner Expenses When Local Residents Adopt Abandoned Animals for Pets at Gwanak-gu Abandoned Animal Protection Center

Last October, a pet festival held on the lawn in front of the Seoul National University Administration Building

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is drawing attention by launching a new animal welfare project in 2020 to create a happy environment where humans and animals coexist, in line with the era of 10 million pet owners.

First, to increase the adoption rate of abandoned animals and improve animal protection conditions, the “Abandoned Animal Adoption Support Project” is being implemented to create a favorable environment for adoption.

Starting in January, when local residents adopt abandoned animals for companionship purposes at the Gwanak-gu Abandoned Animal Protection Center, the district will support hospital expenses such as neutering surgery and preventive vaccines to reduce the owner's financial burden.

Additionally, on the Gwanak-gu Office website (Abandoned Animal Adoption → Abandoned Animal Return/Adoption), an adoption corner linked with the Animal Protection Management System (http://www.animal.go.kr) has been established, creating a system where many residents can obtain and share information about abandoned animals.

From March, the “Neglected Animal Caregiver Project” will be carried out to support preventive vaccinations and neutering surgery costs for pets of low-income households who are in the blind spots of animal welfare.

The target is approximately 50 low-income households, and application methods and designated hospitals will be announced later through notices.

Furthermore, in response to the increase in pet-owning households, the district is actively promoting projects under the goal of “coexistence with animals,” including abandoned animal protection and management, fostering a coexistence culture with stray cats, livestock quarantine, and revitalization of animal welfare to spread a proper pet care culture.

This year, the “Visiting Animal Hospital,” where veterinarians, pet behavior counselors, and groomers visit community centers to provide simple check-ups, nutrition counseling, behavior counseling, and hygiene grooming, and the festival “Pet Hanmadang,” where people and pets interact and enjoy together, will be held.

In the first half of the year, the “Meongmeong-a, Let’s Play!” animal interaction program will be operated, where volunteers and service dogs visit welfare facilities for the disabled to interact with vulnerable groups and help provide emotional and psychological stability.

In addition, the district operates various projects every year, such as the Animal Coexistence Plaza, pet behavior correction projects, and Stray Cat Neutering Day, fostering a mature pet culture where not only pet owners but also non-pet owners can participate and empathize together.

Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “We plan to continue implementing diverse and proactive animal protection and welfare projects that meet the demands of pet-owning households,” adding, “We will also strive to create a mature pet culture where pet owners and non-pet owners can understand and respect each other.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.