Worried About Leaving Your Dog Alone During Lunar New Year?... Nowon-gu Operates a 'Pet Dog Shelter'

Operation of Pet Dog Shelter in District Office 2nd Floor Auditorium from Jan 31 9 AM to Feb 2 6 PM... One dog per household, 30 registered small dogs under 8kg in the area, 18 pet sitters... Online registration on district office website until Jan 28 6 PM, first-come-first-served, custody fee 5000 KRW

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will operate a pet dog shelter for residents planning to return home during the Lunar New Year holiday.

The pet dog shelter is a representative animal welfare service of Nowon-gu, implemented since Chuseok 2018 to prevent the occurrence of abandoned dogs during the holiday period and to reduce the financial burden of pet hotel costs for residents.

The shelter will be set up in the Nowon-gu 2nd floor auditorium from 9 a.m. on January 31, the Lunar New Year holiday, until 6 p.m. on February 2. Residents can leave their dogs by paying only a 5,000 won consignment fee, which is much cheaper than the market price for pet hotels.

The service is available for small dogs weighing 8kg or less that have no socialization issues and have completed animal registration and rabies vaccination. Use is restricted for dogs that are pregnant, in heat, or have contagious diseases.

The shelter will have individual hotel rooms where dogs can rest, as well as a playground equipped with various exercise equipment and toys. To prevent safety accidents, the playground will be divided by gender and size categories. Separate booths will be installed to promote various pet-related projects conducted by the district.

During the day, 18 pet sitters will care for the dogs in teams of three, working two shifts, and at night, on-duty staff will monitor and patrol via CCTV in the control room. For owners concerned about their dogs, a photo transmission service will be provided twice daily. In case of illness or injury, emergency situations will be handled in cooperation with a 24-hour animal hospital in the area.

Those who wish to use the service can apply through the Nowon-gu Office website by 6 p.m. on January 28. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for a total of 30 dogs, one per household. Vulnerable groups such as elderly living alone and disabled persons can apply by phone through the Health and Hygiene Department’s Animal Protection Team.

Since October 2020, the district has been operating a pet-only cultural center called ‘Daengdaeng House’ in Sanggye 1-dong (258 Suraksan-ro). It is equipped with convenience facilities for pet families such as a dog cafe and self-dry room, and offers lifestyle-oriented pet culture education programs including handmade snack making and behavioral correction.

The center also handles the protection and adoption of abandoned animals found in the area. So far, 15 abandoned dogs have found new families through Daengdaeng House. Prospective adopters are required to complete mandatory education in advance, and expert home visits and counseling are provided after adoption to prevent abandonment.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “The population living with companion animals has exceeded 15 million, and about 30% of the population in Nowon-gu also raise pets. We will continue to implement various animal welfare services to create a Nowon-gu where people and animals coexist happily.”