Dressed dogs sit in a buggy at a pet show in Suwon, south of Seoul, on Nov. 27, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans spend around 150,000 won (US$124) every month on their pets, a survey showed Thursday.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs conducted a nationwide survey of 1,296 pet owners between the ages of 20 and 64, which showed that each pet owner has an average of 2.83 pets.
Fish were the most numerous pets to raise, at an average of 16.65 fish per person, followed by 1.19 dogs, 1.46 cats and 1.24 hamsters.
The monthly cost of rearing a single pet stood at 123,500 won.
Specifically, the monthly rearing cost for dogs stood at 149,700 won and cats at 125,700 won, which includes medical costs of 42,500 won for dogs and 41,500 won for cats.
Among respondents, 26.1 percent had considered giving up their pets at some point in the past.
As for the reason, 27.8 percent of respondents pointed to their pet’s behavioral issues such as destroying items or barking.
Others blamed the unexpected amount of spending (22.2 percent), pet illness or accidents (18.9 percent) and changes in the environment such as moving out or getting a job (17.8 percent).
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
