Jeonbuk Research Institute Proposes Jeonbuk-style Pet Welfare and Related Industry Development

Jeonbuk Research Institute exterior.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Tae-in] As the number of households raising companion animals and social interest continue to increase, a proposal has been made to foster companion animal welfare and related industries at the Jeonbuk provincial level.

The Jeonbuk Research Institute (President Kim Seon-gi) suggested directions for protecting and improving the welfare of companion animals and fostering related industries by utilizing Jeonbuk's excellent infrastructure related to companion animals through the issue briefing (No. 218) titled "Jeonbuk-type Companion Animal Welfare and Related Industry Promotion (Draft)" on the 8th.

The Jeonbuk Research Institute pointed out that although the proportion of households raising companion animals nationwide is expected to expand from 23.7% in 2018 to 31.3% in 2025, the maturity of companion animal culture is slow.

Cases of owners not complying with obligations such as companion dog identification tags and leash-wearing when taking dogs outside still persist, but difficulties arise due to immature awareness levels, lack of promotion and education, and limitations in legal enforcement.

On the other hand, Jeonbuk's animal protection centers and their operating personnel are the most numerous among metropolitan local governments nationwide, excluding Gyeonggi and Seoul, and Jeonbuk has the highest number of animal welfare-certified livestock farms nationwide with 87 farms accounting for 33.2% of the total, emphasizing that Jeonbuk, with its excellent animal welfare-related infrastructure, should lead companion animal welfare.

Additionally, the Korea Rural Economic Institute predicts that the companion animal market size will grow from 2.3 trillion won in 2017 to 6 trillion won in 2027, and since the government is also making efforts to foster companion animal-related industries, it emphasized that Jeonbuk should focus on fostering companion animal-related industries.

Furthermore, it proposed that step-by-step strategies are necessary to create a mature companion animal culture and lead the companion animal industry.

The first stage is a strategy to improve animal protection and welfare, continuing projects such as adoption and rescue of abandoned animals and neutering of stray cats, strengthening joint supervision and inspection of companion animal production, distribution, and sales businesses, establishing animal education and protection centers, and holding animal protection culture and companion animal industry festivals.

The second stage proposes a strategy to create a companion animal leisure and welfare ecosystem, suggesting the establishment of small playgrounds, complex cultural spaces, animal interaction healing complexes, and a national honorary hall for distinguished service dogs.

The third stage strategy is fostering companion animal-related industries, emphasizing the need to build clusters for veterinary pharmaceuticals, establish platforms for the health functional pet food industry, support industrialization of related fields such as pet food and pet supplies, and install exhibition and sales venues for companion animal products.

As companion animals have become another family member and national interest is increasing with the related market expected to grow, attention is focused on whether Jeonbuk, with its excellent infrastructure conditions for companion animal welfare, leisure, and related industries, will foster this as a new industry.

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