A wild cat relaxes on a rock at Mount Bukhan against the background of western Seoul on Jan. 27, 2021. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Korea Bizwire) – Unregistered pets will now be denied access to public facilities in South Korea.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum passed a new policy for the management of abandoned animals on Thursday at a state council meeting.
The government announced that it will raise the proportion of registered animals to more than 70 percent by 2024, from 38.6 percent in 2020, through a series of measures including restricted access for unregistered animals at public facilities and the expansion of the animal registration program into other regions.
The government also plans to carry out a nationwide trap, neuter, and release program for dogs raised outdoors in consideration of recent trends where outdoor dogs that have been abandoned are threatening the safety of residents and livestock in rural areas.
The government is also considering the introduction of ‘pet transfer’ programs where pet owners can transfer their ownership rights to a local animal protection center in special cases like joining the military, incarceration, or being infected with a disease, to reflect the fact that these people may have no other choice left but to leave their pets behind.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
