Gyeongnam Province Implements the Nation's First 'Voluntary Display System for Pet Medical Fees'

Governor Kim Announces Three Major Policies to Support Reducing Burden of Pet Medical Expenses

Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo is unveiling the three major support policies for alleviating the burden of veterinary care costs for companion animals in Gyeongsangnam-do for the first time. (Photo by Gyeongnam Province)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kang Woo-kwon] Gyeongnam Province announced on the 16th that it held the final policy meeting on the implementation plan to alleviate the burden of veterinary medical expenses for companion animals at the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government New Building conference room. The meeting was attended by stakeholders including the Gyeongsangnam-do Veterinary Medical Association, companion animal families, related organizations and groups, and the insurance industry, and the final agreement was announced as policy.

Governor Kim Kyung-soo presided over the policy meeting and unveiled for the first time three major support policies for alleviating the burden of veterinary medical expenses in Gyeongsangnam-do: the voluntary display system for companion animal medical expenses, the enactment of an ordinance to support alleviation of veterinary medical expenses, and policy support projects to reduce the burden of veterinary medical expenses.

The voluntary display system for companion animal medical expenses will be piloted from the 1st of next month targeting animal hospitals in the Changwon area.

Among the 220 companion animal hospitals in the province, 70 animal hospitals in the Changwon area will participate first, with plans to expand to the entire province in the future.

In addition, to activate policies to alleviate the burden of veterinary medical expenses, the province will enact the “Gyeongsangnam-do Ordinance to Support Alleviation of Companion Animal Medical Expenses.” The ordinance is expected to include specific implementation methods for the voluntary display system of veterinary medical expenses and support for policy projects such as veterinary medical expenses and registration fees for low-income groups.

The policy support projects to alleviate the burden of veterinary medical expenses, which will be implemented based on the related ordinance, were selected through discussions and consultations with related organizations and groups for the purpose of executing policy proposals from companion animal families, animal protection organizations, the veterinary medical association, and the Gyeongnam 1st Street citizen proposals. The main policy projects include three initiatives: veterinary medical expenses for low-income groups, companion animal registration fees, and support for veterinary medical expense display equipment.

Following the policy proposal “Measures for the Development of the Gyeongnam Companion Animal Industry and Restoration of Trust” by former chairman Jeong Ki-woo representing the Gyeongnam Veterinary Medical Association, Researcher Lee Hye-jin of the Gyeongnam Research Institute presented “Policy Tasks for Making Gyeongnam a Place Where Animals Are Also Happy,” and Bang Byung-ho, General Insurance Team Leader of the General Insurance Association, offered suggestions on “Legal and Institutional Improvement Plans Related to Alleviating the Burden of Companion Animal Medical Expenses.”

Governor Kim said, “In an era where one in four citizens lives with companion animals, the impact of companion animals on the quality of life and welfare of our residents is significant,” adding, “There are benefits that administration can provide through welfare, and the happiness that companion animals can bring to the public, including vulnerable groups, is also an important welfare benefit.”

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