Nowon-gu Operates Pet Dog Shelter During Lunar New Year Holiday

Operation of Pet Dog Shelter on Feb 11-13 at District Office 2nd Floor Auditorium... 30 Dogs Raised by Nowon Residents (1 Dog per Household), Care Fee 5000 KRW... Online Application on Nowon District Office Website from 9 AM Jan 25, First-Come-First-Served, Priority for Vulnerable Groups

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) will operate a pet dog shelter during the Lunar New Year holiday period.

Although there is a general atmosphere of refraining from returning home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this measure is for households that must leave their homes due to unavoidable circumstances or need pet dog care.

Nowon-gu has prepared a pet dog shelter in the large auditorium on the 2nd floor of the district office, operating from 9 a.m. on February 11 to 6 p.m. on February 13.

Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis on the Nowon-gu district office website from 9 a.m. on January 25 to 6 p.m. on February 5. Single elderly, disabled persons, and households receiving national basic livelihood security benefits can apply by phone with priority.

The service is available for small dogs (under 8kg) aged six months or older, and only registered pets that have completed rabies vaccination can use the shelter.

Dogs that are pregnant, in heat, or have infectious diseases are restricted from using the shelter.

To allow many residents to use the service, only one dog per household can be entrusted. The care fee is 5,000 KRW, borne by the owner, and it is recommended to bring the usual food and bedding to help the pet adapt well to the unfamiliar environment.

Two teams of professional pet sitters, each consisting of three people, will take turns caring for the dogs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. From 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, the dogs will be monitored in real-time via CCTV in the control room for protection and observation.

Play areas are separated according to breed characteristics, and hotel rooms are assigned to prevent safety accidents in advance. In preparation for illness or injury, the shelter is linked with a 24-hour hospital in the area to respond to emergencies. A photo transmission service twice a day is also provided for owners who want to check on their dogs’ condition.

The shelter is equipped with a playground and hotel rooms, as well as various exercise equipment and toys. Mats and dog houses are installed inside the hotel rooms to allow dogs to rest comfortably. A promotional booth providing information on animal welfare, conducted by Nowon-gu, is also operated.

To improve satisfaction with the shelter use, a survey was conducted last year with users, and this year a phone application method was added for vulnerable groups who have difficulty using the internet.

Visitors are required to fill out a visitor log and undergo temperature checks to comply with COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Masks are mandatory for staff and visitors to prioritize the safety of residents and their pets.

According to the abandoned animal statistics site ‘Paw in Hand,’ 129,043 animals were abandoned last year.

The district expects that operating the shelter during the holiday will prevent abandoned dogs and reduce social costs.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “I hope residents who inevitably need a place to leave their dogs during the Lunar New Year holiday can spend the holiday safely and comfortably.”

For inquiries, contact the Nowon-gu Health and Hygiene Division.