"Are You Raising Your Dog and Cat Well?" ... Seoul City, 2nd 'Pet Owner Competency Test'

November 14-15 Online Event ... Nationwide Participants Expanded to 2,000

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 28th that it will add a new category for companion cats to the 'Companion Owner Competency Test,' which was first introduced last year and gained attention, and will hold the test online to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Companion Owner Competency Test is an event jointly organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Donggrami Co., Ltd., the operator of Naver's 'Animal Empathy' platform. It was designed to give current or prospective pet owners an opportunity to check and study how much they know about their companion animals. Last year's first test was taken by 189 citizens who own or are interested in dogs at Konkuk University Law Building.

This year's test will be held on November 14th from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. for the companion dog category, and on the 15th at the same time for the companion cat category. Citizens who wish to take the test can apply through the 'Naver Animal Empathy Notice' from next month 5th until November 6th.

The city plans to expand the number of test takers to 2,000 this year, adding the companion cat category as well as the companion dog category, and holding the test online to prevent COVID-19, so that anyone interested in animals can participate regardless of their location.

The test questions are prepared through expert review by organizations such as the Seoul Veterinary Medical Association, covering essential knowledge that companion owners must know. The 50 questions cover four areas: language/behavior, body/health/nutrition, society/system, and history/culture/science, ranging from general knowledge such as animal registration, walking, and grooming methods to specialized knowledge including understanding pet behavior, health management, and current laws.

Studying companion animal content in advance through the Animal Welfare Support Center operated by Seoul City, or Animal Empathy TV on Naver's Animal Empathy platform, and the Donggrami blog can help with answering the questions.

The test will be conducted online, with the test URL sent via text message and email only to applicants. Participants can take the test on PC or mobile devices. All test takers will receive a certificate of participation, and 50 top scorers in each category will receive various prizes prepared by Donggrami Co., Ltd.

Park Yumi, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Citizen Health Bureau, said, "We hope that test takers will acquire knowledge about companion animals through the competency test, create good memories, and become agents in spreading a culture of studying and qualified companion owners."