Focusing on Building Infrastructure for a Mature Companion Culture, Targeting Completion in 2024
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City, Gyeongnam Province, held a "Resident Briefing Session on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Support Center for Companion Animals" at the Agricultural Technology Center on the 28th.
The briefing session was attended by about 100 stakeholders interested in animal welfare, including Deputy Mayor Shin Jong-woo, city council members, and animal protection volunteer groups.
The establishment of the Comprehensive Support Center for Companion Animals is a campaign pledge of Jinju Mayor Jo Gyu-il in the 8th local government term. It was promoted to enhance animal welfare and create a complex cultural space for pet owners amid the rapid increase in households raising companion animals and the growing demand and interest in animal protection and welfare.
This resident briefing session was organized to explain the background and purpose of establishing the Comprehensive Support Center for Companion Animals, the current status of companion animals, infrastructure analysis, review of similar cases in other cities and counties, and to gather citizens' opinions to find a model suitable for Jinju's conditions.
The city plans to hold additional briefing sessions to actively listen to and reflect diverse opinions from citizens, finalize the basic plan including optimal site selection and project scale confirmation through feasibility studies, and focus on securing national funding through project applications.
The Comprehensive Support Center for Companion Animals will consist of an Animal Protection Center, which will carry out rescue and protection of abandoned and lost animals and support for adopting abandoned dogs, and a Companion Animal Support Center, which will provide hygiene, grooming, behavior correction for companion animals, and education to improve pet owners' awareness.
A city official said, "The Comprehensive Support Center for Companion Animals will be a cornerstone for fostering a desirable companion culture through education and experience," adding, "We hope it will establish a mature cultural space where people and animals coexist by forming a consensus on animal protection and welfare."
Jinju City is promoting the project with a budget of about 5 billion won, aiming for completion in 2024.
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