This undated file photo shows dogs at an animal shelter in Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 27 (Korea Bizwire) — An increasing number of pets are once again being abandoned after what was once a serious social issue subsided during the first two years of the pandemic.
The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency reported that the number of abandoned animals newly registered between April 18 and May 18 reached 11,363, up by 30 percent from the previous month.
South Korea first introduced social distancing measures in March 2020. Since then, an increasing number of people adopted pet animals, creating the so-called ‘pandemic puppy’ phenomenon.
Pets were the perfect solution for people spending long hours indoors, offering companionship to help cope with loneliness and boredom.
Following the government’s decision to lift all COVID-19 social distancing rules, however, animal protection agencies are worried that some who adopted pet animals out of impulse will leave them behind.
Experts argue that this is largely attributed to the perception that pets get in the way of traveling or going out.
KB Financial Group Research Institute reported that 27.9 percent of pet owners struggled to go out, and 27.3 percent struggled to go on a trip, because of their pets.
“We cannot be sure if more pets are being abandoned because the government got rid of all COVID-19 social distancing restrictions,” said Shim In-seop, head of Life, an animal protection agency.
“However, considering the health of the pets that we are caring for, we have our reasons to be worried.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
