Incheon Yeonsu-gu Promotes 'Animal Welfare Basic Plan' for the Happiness of People and Animals

Three Major Strategies: Infrastructure, Support Systems, and Awareness Improvement

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Yeonsu-gu, Incheon announced on the 15th that it will establish and implement a basic animal welfare plan containing three major promotion strategies and measures, including infrastructure development, to realize a city where both people and animals are happy.

Ahead of the revision of the Animal Protection Act scheduled to take effect in April, the district compared and analyzed domestic and international animal welfare policy trends and Yeonsu-gu’s conditions to prepare a plan for creating an animal welfare environment.

Currently, there are about 23,000 registered companion animals in Yeonsu-gu, and the pet-owning population has exceeded 5.7% of the total population.

Although the number of lost and abandoned animals rescued and protected in the area has decreased by about 24% over the past two years, animal-related complaints continue to increase steadily due to growing social demands for mature pet care, such as pet etiquette.

In response, the district established and has been operating a dedicated team within the district office since October last year as a control tower to monitor overall animal welfare policies, creating infrastructure for effective policy implementation through the establishment of a public-private cooperation system and the discovery of online and offline spaces.

Furthermore, as the concept of animal protection is increasingly emphasized not as a passive notion but as welfare elements considering animal safety and natural habits both domestically and internationally, the district plans to strengthen the support system for animal welfare.

Representatives from the Korea Animal Protection Alliance appealed for pet adoption on the 4th in front of the Admiral Yi Sun-sin statue at Gwanghwamun Square, Jongno-gu, Seoul, stating that abandoned dogs are being euthanized due to lack of adoption. 2022.8.4 / Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Specifically, the plan includes ▲support for companion animals’ health care ▲discovery of life-oriented projects ▲establishment of a foundation for animal welfare promotion such as animal registration system and activation of abandoned animal adoption, as well as preventive awareness improvement projects to prevent animal abuse.

Along with this, through active promotion of sound companion animal care and animal welfare, the district aims to resolve conflicts caused by companion animals and establish an active environment for improving animal welfare awareness, such as a one-stop animal welfare information service.

A Yeonsu-gu official stated, "We will actively strive to create an environment where people and animals, pet owners and non-pet owners alike, can coexist safely and enjoy a happy daily life in a comfortable urban environment."

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