Leaving Waste Unattended, No Leash Use... Citizens Frown on the Long Road to 'Petiquette'

Nearly 6 Million Pet Dogs... 1 in 4 Households Own Pets
Some Owners Fail to Follow 'Petiquette', Causing Issues
Experts Call for "Mature Civic Awareness"

Notice posted within an apartment complex in Changwon-si, Gyeongnam on the 3rd. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] # College student Kim Mo (25) recently experienced a shocking incident while taking a walk. Two small dogs without leashes suddenly ran toward Kim. Kim said, "I was turning a corner in an alley when the dogs suddenly appeared, and I was very startled," adding, "Since the dogs were not on leashes, I asked the owner if they should be leashed, and he said, 'I didn’t leash them because it’s just in front of my house.'" She continued, "No matter how close to home, leashing is basic etiquette. While many people like dogs, there are also quite a few who are afraid of them."

As the number of households raising pets increases, conflicts between pet owners and non-pet owners continue due to cases where some pet owners walk their dogs without leashes or fail to pick up their pets’ waste. Experts suggest that mature civic awareness is necessary.

According to the "2019 National Awareness Survey on Animal Protection" released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in April, 5.91 million households were found to be raising pets. This is an increase of 800,000 households compared to the previous year, meaning one in four households has a pet. Among these, 4.95 million households were raising 5.98 million dogs, and 1.92 million households were raising 2.58 million cats.

The problem lies in the fact that many do not follow the so-called "petiquette," the etiquette required when raising pets. Pet owners are supposed to follow obligations such as putting leashes on their dogs and carrying waste bags to avoid inconveniencing others during walks, but many fail to comply.

A college student A (25) living in Mapo-gu, Seoul, said, "I once stepped on dog poop while trying to spread a mat at Gyeongui Line Forest Park," adding, "I was so shocked. I was surprised to see someone not cleaning up the waste even though they must know there is a fine."

Notice posted on the bulletin board of an apartment in Changwon-si, Gyeongnam on the 3rd. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@asiae.co.kr

According to the current Animal Protection Act, pet owners must take safety measures such as using leashes when going out with their dogs and must collect their pets’ waste. Violations can result in fines of up to 500,000 KRW. However, it is difficult to catch offenders on the spot, and there are quite a few so-called "selfish pet owners" who ignore the regulations despite knowing them.

In 2016, a man in his 70s who was angry about frequent dog waste on the road in front of his house was arrested by the police for assaulting a woman walking with her dog.

The man told the police, "I was upset because the road in front of my house was often dirty with dog waste." However, the neighboring woman reportedly denied this, saying, "I do walk my dog, but I have never left waste in front of Mr. Kim’s house."

Conflicts between pet owners and non-pet owners occur frequently. According to a survey conducted last year by the animal-specialized media Happy Pet on 309 general respondents, 59.2% reported experiencing conflicts due to pets.

In particular, 71.8% of respondents identified "not cleaning up pet waste" as the most problematic behavior among pet owners. This was followed by pet abandonment (70.2%) and abuse (69.9%), ranking second and third respectively.

Experts suggest that a mature pet culture must be established. Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Union, said, "Although the number of households raising pets has increased, awareness about this is still stagnant," adding, "Pet owners should observe public morals and consider others while raising pets, but this aspect still seems insufficient."

He emphasized, "Measures such as providing annual education for pet owners are necessary to foster a mature pet culture."