Fine of 200,000 KRW for Not Using a Pet Dog Leash

Nowon-gu Intensifies Patrols Around Major Walking Trails and Parks Including Danghyeoncheon and Gyeongchun Line Forest Path... 50,000 KRW Fine for Dog Waste Non-Collection... 1,000,000 KRW Fine for Dangerous Dogs Without Leash or Muzzle

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) will enforce regulations starting from the 20th to address issues such as dogs not wearing leashes, aiming to establish a proper companion animal culture.

There are three violations stipulated under the Animal Protection Act: unregistered companion dogs, failure to take safety measures such as not wearing a leash, and failure to collect excrement.

On-site enforcement will focus particularly on leash violations and failure to collect dog waste. Upon detection, a confirmation notice will be issued and fines will be imposed immediately.

The fines are 50,000 KRW for failure to collect excrement and 200,000 KRW for not wearing a leash. Especially for dangerous dogs, a fine of 1,000,000 KRW will be imposed if they are not wearing a leash or muzzle.

The enforcement will cover the entire Nowon-gu area, focusing on major parks such as Danghyeoncheon Stream, Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail, Yeongchuksan Neighborhood Park, and densely populated residential areas with frequent complaints.

To this end, two dedicated enforcement officers have been newly hired.

The reason for this enforcement is that the obligation to register companion dogs is not being observed, and safety measures such as leashes are not used during outings. Additionally, failure to promptly collect excrement causes fear and discomfort among residents.

Complaints related to companion dogs have recently surged. Complaints about leash violations were 20 cases in 2018, 59 cases in 2019, and a staggering 87 cases in the first half of this year alone.

Currently, about 21,500 companion dogs are registered in Nowon-gu, which is only about 38% of the estimated 57,000 dogs according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Alongside enforcement, the district will also promote “Petiquette,” the etiquette required when raising companion animals, to increase dog registration rates and reduce conflicts among neighbors caused by companion dogs.

The district has established three dedicated dog play areas where dogs can run freely without leashes. These are located near the resource recovery facility in Sanggye-dong at Madeul Sports Park, near the Nowongol Meeting Square at Suraksan Mountain, and near the entrance of Deokneunggogae.

The district is also planning to create an additional 1,000㎡ companion animal playground to accommodate the growing pet population.

Furthermore, dog waste bag dispensers have been installed along major walking trails and parks such as the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail and Danghyeoncheon Stream.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “I hope that through the various companion animal policies implemented by the district, a proper awareness of animals will spread and a healthy companion animal culture will be established.”

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