"1 in 3 Households Raise Companion Animals... Average Monthly Cost About 121,000 Won"

2025 Survey on Companion Animal Ownership and Public Awareness of Animal Welfare

The proportion of households raising companion animals has increased to about 30%, meaning the share has expanded from "1 in 4 households" to "1 in 3 households."

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 12th the results of the "2025 Survey on Companion Animal Ownership Status" and the "2025 Public Awareness Survey on Animal Welfare."

The Asia Business Daily Database

The ministry has been conducting an annual public awareness survey on animal welfare to assess the public's level of understanding and to use the findings as basic data for policymaking. Starting this year, in consultation with the National Data Agency, it is conducting in-person surveys based on samples from the Population and Housing Census to examine the status of companion animal ownership, and it is publishing these results as nationally approved statistics.

◆ Companion animal ownership status = According to the results, 29.2% of respondents reported that they are directly raising companion animals at their current place of residence. This means that 1 out of every 3 neighboring households lives with a companion animal. The ministry assessed this as "a result showing that raising companion animals has become an everyday lifestyle, going beyond a choice limited to specific social groups or a small number of households."

Among households with companion animals, dogs accounted for the highest share at 80.5%, followed by cats at 14.4%. This indicates that the dog-centered ownership structure remains in place.

The average monthly cost of raising one companion animal was about 121,000 won (with 37,000 won spent on veterinary care). Of the veterinary expenses, 14,000 won was spent on treatment for accidents, injuries, and illnesses. The cost of raising a dog (135,000 won) was found to be higher than that of raising a cat (92,000 won).

◆ Public awareness of animal welfare = Awareness of major laws and systems related to animal welfare stood at 74.9%, maintaining a similar level to the previous year. Although there was still a gap in awareness between people who own companion animals (90.2%) and those who do not (68.9%), overall awareness of the system showed an upward trend.

Positive responses to whether dog owners comply well with requirements such as using leashes and identification tags when going out, and collecting feces, came in at 48.8%. However, compared with the level of awareness of the system, the actual practice was still considered insufficient, and there was also a large perception gap between owners (86.9%) and non-owners (39.9%).

Regarding the seriousness of animal abuse and the need for punishment, a very high level of consensus was observed regardless of whether respondents owned companion animals. A total of 93.2% supported strong punishment and bans on animal keeping for perpetrators of animal abuse, and the difference in perception between owners (94.3%) and non-owners (92.7%) was not significant.

As for adoption channels for companion animals, transfers (paid or free) through acquaintances accounted for the largest share at 46.0%, followed by purchases from pet shops (28.7%), and taking in and raising stray cats and other animals (9.0%).

Joo Woncheol, Director General of the Animal Welfare Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "Starting this year, the status of companion animal ownership has been approved as national statistics, which is meaningful in that the government now has official statistics on companion animal ownership," adding, "Based on these survey results, we will promote animal welfare policies across the board, including easing the burden of raising companion animals, spreading a culture of responsible pet ownership, and preventing animal abuse."

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