"One Month Left"... What Our Family's 'Daengdaengi' Really Needs

Voluntary Dog Registration Reporting Until the 30th of Next Month
Maximum Fine of 600,000 Won Waived

Seoul's Dongdaemun-gu and Yangcheon-gu districts are accepting voluntary pet registration reports until September 30. The photo shows the consignment facility inside the domestic terminal pet center at Gimpo Airport. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Now, pets are raised in 3 out of 10 households. To protect pets and prevent loss and abandonment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has been implementing a pet registration system since 2014. Among pets, registration of companion dogs is mandatory, but many owners have yet to register their dogs. Therefore, district offices in Seoul, such as Dongdaemun-gu and Yangcheon-gu, are accepting voluntary animal registration reports until the end of next month.

According to the animal registration system, companion dogs over 2 months old raised for companionship in houses, quasi-houses, or other places must be registered with local governments. The voluntary reporting period is until the 30th of next month. If voluntary animal registration (new or changes) is completed during this period, owners can be exempted from fines of up to 600,000 KRW. After the voluntary reporting period, unregistered animals face fines up to 600,000 KRW, and failure to report changes can result in fines up to 400,000 KRW.

For ‘new animal registration,’ the owner must bring the target companion dog and visit an animal registration agency such as a local animal hospital in the district. There are two registration methods. Owners can choose between an internal type, which involves inserting a rice-grain-sized microchip under the skin, and an external type, which involves attaching a collar around the neck. The internal type is recommended due to concerns about damage or loss of the external type. After implanting or attaching the wireless identification device, the owner completes the animal registration application form.

‘Animal registration change reports’ can be made by visiting an animal registration agency or online (through Government24, the National Animal Protection Information System, etc.). Change reports must be submitted if the registered animal is lost, ownership changes, personal information changes, the registered animal dies or is no longer kept in Korea, or if the registration identification device is lost or damaged.

The pet registration process can be checked on the website of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency’s National Animal Protection Information System. Inquiries can also be made at the health and hygiene departments of district offices’ public health centers throughout Seoul. After registering as a member, owners can enter and check their name and animal registration number to view the registration status and basic information of their pets.

Dongdaemun-gu is promoting the system, stating, “Animal registration allows more effective owner identification than when animals are lost and raises the responsibility awareness of animal owners. We hope for much interest in the animal registration system.”

Yangcheon-gu promotional dog 'Bukkeu' and Lee Gijae, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu. (Photo by Yangcheon-gu)

Yangcheon-gu is strengthening promotion of the animal registration system by organizing and operating on-site guidance teams composed of public officials and honorary animal supervisors, focusing on parks, Anyangcheon walking trails, and other areas with frequent pet access and complaints during the voluntary reporting period. Along with this, they plan to encourage registration activation by concurrently implementing the ‘Animal Registration Fee Support Project,’ which subsidizes the cost of internal wireless identification devices. In Yangcheon-gu, about 30,000 animals are registered with the district, and last year, more than 20% of total registrations were concentrated during the voluntary reporting period.

Meanwhile, regarding cats, a companion cat registration system has been piloted nationwide since February last year. Although companion cat registration is optional, animal registration is mandatory when adopting cats through local government animal protection centers.

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