The average monthly cost of raising a pet is about 130,000 won, and one in five pet owners have considered giving up their pets. (Image courtesy of Wonju City)
SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in South Korea reveals that the average monthly cost of raising a pet is about 130,000 won, and one in five pet owners have considered giving up their pets.
The survey, conducted online between November 3 and 13 last year, involved 5,000 participants aged 20 to 64. It found that the monthly cost of raising a dog averaged 166,000 won, higher than that for a cat, which was 113,000 won. This includes expenses for veterinary care.
Of the pet owners surveyed, 18.2% admitted they had considered giving up their pets.
The leading reason, cited by 45.7% of respondents who considered giving up their pets (allowing for multiple responses), was behavioral issues like excessive barking. Other reasons included higher-than-expected expenses (40.2%) and changes in living conditions such as moving or employment (25%).
When looking at how people acquired their pets, the most common way, at 41.8%, was through free adoption from acquaintances. Purchasing from pet shops accounted for 24%, while adopting from animal shelters came in at 9%.
The survey also looked at the use of pet-related services in the past year. Veterinary services were the most utilized (80.4%), followed by grooming services (51.8%), pet playgrounds (33.2%), and pet hotels (16%).
Of the respondents, 6.9% (346 individuals) planned to adopt a pet within a year. Among those planning to adopt, 84.4% were willing to adopt abandoned or lost animals.
In response to witnessing animal abuse, 59.9% said they would report it to authorities, while 50.9% would seek help from animal protection organizations, and 25.2% would ask the abuser to stop. However, 8.4% indicated they would not take any action.
Awareness of the Animal Protection Law was high, with 71.8% of respondents aware of the law’s name and content. Knowledge of the pet registration system was at 63.6%, with a compliance rate of 76.4% for dog registration.
While 67.4% were aware of pet owners’ responsibilities, such as keeping dogs on a leash within 2 meters, only 44.3% of dog owners complied with these regulations. A significant 91.4% of respondents agreed that pet owners should be required to undergo mandatory training.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
