Seoul City Supports 'Implantable Animal Registration' for Pets

First-Come, First-Served Support for 13,000 Animals This Year

Seoul City announced on the 28th that it will implement a support project for implantable pet registration, which is effective in preventing the loss of companion animals, starting in March. By visiting one of the approximately 410 animal hospitals participating in the support project within Seoul with a companion animal and paying 10,000 KRW, owners can register their pets using a microchip implant. All dogs and cats raised by Seoul citizens are eligible for support, and the program will support up to 13,000 animals on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the year.

The implantable pet registration support project has been promoted since 2019 by Seoul City, the Social Contribution Council of the General Insurance Association, and the Seoul Veterinary Medical Association to activate the implantable pet registration system. About 410 animal hospitals located in Seoul participate in the project, and participating animal hospitals can be inquired about through the ‘Seoul Veterinary Medical Association Call Center’ for guidance.

According to the Animal Protection Act, dogs aged two months or older that are raised in houses or quasi-houses or kept as companions are ‘animals subject to registration’ and are required to be registered. Although cats are not legally required to be registered, registration is recommended to prevent loss.

Among the pet registration methods, ‘implantable pet registration’ involves inserting a rice grain-sized radio frequency identification device (microchip) under the skin between the animal’s shoulder blades. Compared to the ‘external registration method,’ which attaches the RFID device outside the animal’s body, this method reduces the risk of damage, loss, or destruction of the device. Additionally, if a companion animal loses its owner, the implanted chip allows easy identification of the owner, making it effective for quickly finding the owner.

Currently, when companion dogs are sold at animal sales businesses (pet shops), the sales business applies for animal registration under the buyer’s name before the sale. Even in this case, implantable pet registration is available for 10,000 KRW under the Seoul City implantable pet registration support project. Therefore, citizens who wish to adopt companion animals from animal sales businesses are encouraged to register their pets using the implantable method, which has less risk of loss or damage and allows for quick recovery if the dog is lost.

Yoo Young-bong, Director of the Seoul City Green City and Leisure Bureau, said, “Animal registration is a ‘strong fence’ that prevents the loss and abandonment of companion animals and is a ‘legal obligation’ that must be observed.” He added, “With city support, Seoul citizens can register implantable pets for 10,000 KRW starting in March, so we urge everyone to participate in animal registration to ensure they do not lose their precious family members.”

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