Gwanak-gu, the Secret Behind Winning the Excellence Award at the 2020 Korea Animal Welfare Awards?

2020 Animal Welfare Awards Public and Local Government Sector Excellence Award (Minister of the Interior and Safety Award)... Achieving Zero Euthanasia of Abandoned Animals and the Highest Adoption and Return Rates Nationwide to Realize Respect for Life

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) has been recognized for its contribution to animal protection and animal welfare improvement, receiving the '2020 Korea Animal Welfare Awards' (hereinafter Animal Welfare Awards) Excellence Award (Minister of the Interior and Safety Award) in the public and local government category.

The 'Animal Welfare Awards' were first established in 2019 by the National Assembly research group 'Animal Welfare National Assembly Forum' to discover and encourage individuals and organizations that contributed to the enhancement of animal rights and harmonious coexistence, and to spread a proper animal welfare culture.

The 2020 Animal Welfare Awards winners were selected by a judging committee composed of 10 external experts from academia, civic groups, legal circles, and media, who evaluated ▲ sincerity (period of contribution, voluntariness) ▲ expertise (planning, difficulty) ▲ social value (achievement, contribution, recognition).

The awards ceremony was held on the 22nd at the National Assembly main building, postponed from the original schedule due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

The district has realized respect for life with the lowest nationwide euthanasia rate for abandoned animals for four consecutive years (0%) and the highest nationwide adoption and return rate (88.2%). It was highly evaluated for actively implementing animal welfare-related administration, such as establishing the first dedicated animal welfare organization in a basic local government, the 'Companion Animal Team,' and enacting the ordinance 'Creating a City Where People and Companion Animals Are Happy Together.'

In addition, to create a 'Happy Gwanak with Companion Animals,' the district has strengthened public-private-academic networks by hosting companion animal festivals, operating mobile animal hospitals, and managing feeding stations for stray cats. It has actively implemented animal welfare policies for the development of companion culture, including companion animal humanities lectures, visiting animal protection education, and animal interaction therapy programs.

In particular, Mayor Park Jun-hee selected 'coexistence with animals' as a core policy of the 7th local government term, introducing companion animal behavior correction programs, supporting adoption fees to promote abandoned animal adoption, and providing medical expense support for companion animals in low-income households, striving to resolve blind spots in animal welfare.

Also, the 'Gwanak-gu Council Members Research Group for Animals,' the only animal welfare council research group in a basic local council nationwide, was formed and conducted policy research on companion animals and abandoned animals, which was also highly evaluated.

Mayor Park Jun-hee of Gwanak-gu said, “This award is the result of residents' interest in animal protection and welfare and the implementation of various animal welfare policies that meet the demands of companion animal owners.” He added, “We will continue to actively promote various animal welfare projects with the local community and residents, and strive to create a happy Gwanak where people and animals coexist with companion animals.”