"Rescue of Abandoned Animals on Holidays and Nights" ... Seoul City Operates Dedicated Team

'Emergency Treatment Center for Abandoned Animals' Also Linked... Reducing Euthanasia and Promoting Adoption

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government will pilot operate the 'Blind Spot Stray Animal Rescue Team,' which is dedicated to rescuing stray animals without gaps even during holidays or nighttime hours, starting from the 17th. By linking with the 'Stray Animal Emergency Medical Center,' it plans to establish the nation's first 24-hour stray animal protection system, alleviating citizens' inconveniences and drastically reducing animal deaths and euthanasia.

This Blind Spot Stray Animal Rescue Team is being implemented following Mayor Park Won-soon's direct response to a citizen's story about a tragic accident where a stray dog was injured because it was not noticed while driving on a holiday. It is part of the 'Animal Coexistence City' project announced in March last year.

Until now, if citizens who found stray animals during holidays or nighttime hours?when district animal protection centers had difficulty dispatching?or the districts that received such reports had trouble taking special measures, from now on, animals wandering without owners in public places such as roads or parks or those abandoned in boxes can be captured, rescued, or temporarily sheltered.

The city has selected the Korea Animal Rescue Management Association as the dedicated rescue team to carry out stray animal rescues during nighttime and holidays until the end of this year and will begin full operation from today. Currently, there are 'Animal Protection Centers' contracted with 20 districts, and going forward, these centers will be responsible for rescuing stray animals occurring during holidays and nighttime (from midnight to 9 a.m.) in connection with the existing weekday work system. Seoul will provide additional labor costs and other support.

Furthermore, not only will the city rescue stray animals, but it will also designate and operate a 24-hour 'Stray Animal Emergency Treatment Center' to promptly treat sick stray animals. This year, the Emergency Treatment Center is operated by Royal ARC Co., Ltd., and in cooperation with three large animal hospitals, it will reduce animal hospital costs by 30-50% exclusively for Seoul's stray animals, actively supporting both treatment and adoption.

By linking and operating these Blind Spot Stray Animal Rescue Teams and Stray Animal Emergency Treatment Centers, Seoul expects to establish a 24-hour system that can rescue and treat stray animals regardless of time, thereby resolving citizens' inconveniences and animal-related complaints in districts.

The city also plans to produce and distribute an animal complaint handling manual to each district within this year. Based on the operation results of the Blind Spot Stray Animal Rescue Team, it will pursue the establishment of a '24-hour Dedicated Stray Animal Rescue Team' in the long term and is also considering plans to additionally build the city-run shelter, the 'Seoul Animal Welfare Support Center.'

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