Incheon to Open Companion Animal Welfare and Culture Center Next Year to Promote Abandoned Animal Adoption

On September 25, the Incheon city government announced plans to establish a companion animal welfare and culture center to promote the adoption of abandoned animals.

The city plans to remodel the management building of the Munhak Tunnel, located in Cheonghak-dong, Yeonsu-gu, to create the center, with construction set to begin in November. The center is scheduled to open in the second half of next year.

The center will protect abandoned animals at risk of euthanasia due to a lack of space at city and district animal protection centers and provide them with opportunities for adoption. Animals admitted to the center will receive socialization training, health checkups, vaccinations, neutering procedures, and animal registration before being put up for adoption.

Many abandoned dogs housed at the animal protection center are waiting for their owners. Photo by Yonhap News

The center will also serve as an educational space to promote a responsible companion animal culture among citizens. It will offer a variety of educational programs, including initiatives to improve awareness of adopting abandoned animals, education on responsible pet ownership, and campaigns to spread the value of respecting life. Through these efforts, the city expects to gradually increase the adoption rate of abandoned animals while reducing the rates of euthanasia and natural death.

An official from the Incheon city government stated, "We will foster a healthy community where citizens and companion animals coexist, spreading a culture of respect for life and responsible pet ownership."

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