Gwangjin-gu Recruiting Households for 'Visiting Our Neighborhood Animal Trainer' Until August 31... Home Visits to Identify and Correct Pet Behavioral Issues
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Last month in Ulsan, an 8-year-old child was seriously injured after being bitten by a dog, sparking a major controversy including discussions about euthanizing the dangerous dog.
Such dog bite incidents occur more than 2,000 times annually, emerging as a significant social issue.
In response, Gwangjin-gu (District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) is operating the “Visiting Our Neighborhood Animal Trainer” program, which provides counseling on problematic behaviors of companion animals and helps with behavior correction, and is recruiting participating households.
The district has been running the Visiting Our Neighborhood Animal Trainer program since 2018, the first of its kind among local governments nationwide. In the first half of this year, 25 households participated, with over 96% of participants reporting that the program was very helpful in correcting their pets’ problematic behaviors, receiving great positive feedback.
The recruitment target is 25 households registered as residents of Gwangjin-gu with registered animals. Interested households can submit an application form by email or fax, or visit the Gwangjin-gu Office Regional Economy Division by August 31.
If there are many applicants, priority will be given to households raising dangerous dogs that require special management for residents’ safety as the first priority, followed by households adopting abandoned dogs as the second priority, and multi-dog households as the third priority.
The Visiting Our Neighborhood Animal Trainer program consists of one pre-visit or phone consultation and two on-site correction visits, with additional education or counseling available via mobile messenger afterward.
During the pre-visit, the trainer assesses the location of the pet’s toileting and living spaces to analyze the causes of problematic behaviors. Education is tailored to each dog’s specific issues such as separation anxiety and aggression, setting rules for the owner and conducting behavior correction through practical training.
Additionally, the district is promoting various projects to create a better environment for companion animals, including ▲ Seoul’s first Pet Street creation ▲ operation of a companion animal school ▲ production of a companion animal village map.
Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “As of last year, about 30,000 animals were registered in Gwangjin-gu. With the increase in companion animal adoptions, improper training has led to dog bites and excessive barking, causing conflicts among neighbors and an increase in abandoned animals. We expect the Visiting Our Neighborhood Animal Trainer program to provide practical help for safe and responsible pet ownership.”
He added, “We hope this program will help resolve conflicts among neighbors and support a life in harmony with companion animals.”
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