Tosa Inu and Pitbulls Require Permission to Raise... Introduction of 'Companion Animal Behavior Instructor' Certification System

Amendment to the Animal Protection Act to Take Effect on the 27th

From now on, a permit is required to raise a dangerous dog. Additionally, a national certification system for pet behavior instructors will be introduced and implemented.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 26th that the amendments to the "Animal Protection Act" containing these provisions will take effect from the 27th of this year.

First, the dangerous dog breeding permit system will be newly implemented. People currently raising dangerous dogs must obtain a breeding permit from the mayor or governor by October 26 of this year. The mayor or governor will decide whether to grant the permit by assessing the application through a committee composed of experts, conducting preliminary surveys and temperament evaluations to determine if there is a risk to public safety. After the law takes effect, those who wish to raise dangerous dogs must apply for a breeding permit within 30 days from the date of acquiring ownership.

When applying for a breeding permit, dangerous dog owners must meet conditions such as animal registration, enrollment in dangerous dog liability insurance, and neutering surgery, and apply to the mayor or governor. However, neutering surgery can be postponed if there is a veterinarian's diagnosis stating that it is difficult for dogs under 8 months old.

Even if a breeding permit is granted, safety management compliance for dangerous dog owners has been strengthened, such as holding the collar's nape part of the leash in shared spaces like elevators.

With the increase in households raising pets, the demand for professional behavior correction and training of pets has grown, leading to the establishment of an educational and training system to support this. Therefore, a national certification exam system for pet behavior instructors will be introduced and implemented.

Considering the scope of work and demand, the national certification for pet behavior instructors will be introduced as a graded system (Level 1 and 2), and qualifications for application, exam subjects, passing criteria, and grounds for outsourcing the certification exam have been established. Specific details and schedules for the first pet behavior instructor exam will be separately announced in line with the system implementation.

In addition, to promote animal welfare livestock farming, a professional certification body will be designated to shorten the certification period (from 3 to 2 months) and introduce a certification renewal system (every 3 years), thereby strengthening management and support for certified farms. Furthermore, the criteria for allowing welfare livestock product labeling (at least 50%) will be clarified to expand the market for welfare livestock products.

Park Jeong-hoon, Director of Animal Welfare and Environment Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "We will strive for the successful establishment of the newly introduced dangerous dog breeding, import, and handling permit system and the national certification system for pet behavior instructors through this amendment to the enforcement decree of the Animal Protection Act."

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