Is There a Reason Behind Seocho-gu's 81% Adoption Rate of Abandoned Dogs?

Seocho-gu to Operate Various First Half Year Experience Education Programs for Pets and Owners Starting from the 17th; Registration Opens from the 7th on a First-Come, First-Served Basis... Introducing 'Seoripul Online Daengdaeng School' for Pet Behavior Correction Education Tailored to the Non-Face-to-Face Era

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seocho-gu will operate various experiential education programs from the 17th through the ‘Seocho Animal Love Center’ in the first half of this year to create a city where pet owners and their companion dogs can be happy together.

First, starting this month, the district will introduce the non-face-to-face dog training program ‘Seoripul Online Dangdang School’ using ZOOM for the first time. This program shares comprehensive knowledge about basic dog behavior with residents who find it difficult to visit the center due to COVID-19 and also provides 1:1 customized behavior correction training.

In particular, when students show their dogs via Zoom, professional trainers also provide coaching on any unusual behaviors or special issues.

Also, the ‘Seocho Companion Dog Academy,’ which received great response last year, will start from the 17th. This program is designed as a total of 4 weeks to help dog owners learn pet etiquette and assist in the socialization of their dogs.

The training content includes correcting problem behaviors of dogs by professional trainers, proper leash wearing methods, and outdoor walks. In the first half of this year, a total of 48 people will be recruited in three groups. Last year, 84 people completed this program, and according to a survey, the ‘very satisfied’ response rate was as high as 97%, indicating high satisfaction.

Additionally, the popular ‘Making Handmade Dog Snacks’ class from last year will expand its variety. Starting this year, in addition to healthy snacks such as Meong-eomuk (dog fish cake), Meong juice, and Meong chicken, the program has diversified to include dog-exclusive cakes and cookies.

All these educational experiential programs will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at the Seocho Animal Love Center starting from the 7th.

Furthermore, the center plans to recruit for various cultural experience classes later, such as ‘Making Handmade Soap’ with beneficial ingredients for dogs and ‘Making Needle Felt Keyrings’ resembling your own dog.

The district has continuously worked to encourage the adoption of abandoned dogs. A representative adoption-related project is the nationwide largest adoption fee support program, providing 500,000 KRW to dog owners who adopt abandoned dogs.

Also, to increase responsibility for adoption, the district requires prospective adopters to receive pre- and post-adoption education in four sessions to qualify for adoption. Through this, last year, 22 out of 27 abandoned dogs at the center were adopted, achieving an adoption rate of 81%.

Park Woo-man, Director of the Job and Economy Division, said, “We will continue to promote various projects so that people and animals can coexist happily and harmoniously, making Seocho a pet-friendly city.”

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