Opening of the Buk Seoul Dream Forest Dog Playground in Gangbuk-gu

[Seoul District News] Gangbuk-gu, Buk Seoul Dream Forest Dog Playground Open from 20th, Tue-Sun 10 AM to 7 PM ... Yongsan-gu Recruiting Participants for Dog Walking Education

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Soon-hee) announced that starting from the 20th, it will begin operating the dog playground at Buk Seoul Dream Forest.

The dog playground was created on a site of 815㎡ using the badminton court area within Buk Seoul Dream Forest. Approximately 300 million KRW from both district and city funds were invested in the playground, which includes dog play equipment, a management office, rest facilities, restrooms, and drinking fountains.

The district separated the playground into areas for small-to-medium dogs and large dogs to ensure pets can play safely. Dogs with a height (from paw to shoulder) of 40cm or more are classified as large dogs and are restricted from entering the small-to-medium dog playground.

Additionally, aggressive dogs and their mixes are not allowed entry, and unregistered pets must complete animal registration according to the Animal Protection Act before entering.

Anyone can use the dog playground regardless of whether they are a Gangbuk-gu resident. However, users must comply with operational rules such as ▲ no entry for children under 13 years old or infants without supervision ▲ filling out an entry log ▲ wearing a dog identification tag ▲ no food allowed inside the playground.

The playground operating hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. It is closed every Monday, during the winter season (December to February of the following year), and on rainy days.

Before the operation began, an opening ceremony was held at the dog playground at 3 p.m. on the 19th. The event was attended by Lee Soon-hee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, district council members, officials, and residents.

Mayor Lee Soon-hee of Gangbuk-gu said, “This dog playground is expected to play a significant role in creating a healthy pet culture where animals and people coexist,” adding, “We will strive to make Gangbuk-gu an animal-friendly city where both pet owners and non-pet owners can safely and enjoyably engage.”

"Our dog doesn't bite~!?"

In the era of 10 million pet owners, social issues such as dog bite incidents and abandoned animals are rapidly increasing. Conflicts caused by the lack of pet etiquette (pet + etiquette) are also a social concern.

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Park Hee-young) is conducting ‘Dog Walking Education’ to promote coexistence between pet owners and non-pet owners.

The education will take place three times at Ichon Hangang Park on September 21, October 1, and October 8. Dog trainer Seo Ji-hyung will lead the lectures, providing instruction on proper walking etiquette followed by basic walking training on-site. The session lasts about two hours.

The location may change depending on circumstances.

The program targets registered pet owners among district residents, forming teams of one guardian family and one pet per team, with five teams accepted per session on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are accepted via email, and participation is free.

Mayor Park Hee-young of Yongsan-gu said, “To live together with pets, it is necessary to have a caring heart for animals as well as proper knowledge of pet etiquette,” adding, “We will make greater efforts to establish a mature pet culture.”

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) is launching a program to train ‘pet sitters,’ pet care experts in high demand in the era of 10 million pet owners.

The ‘Pet Sitter Training Course’ is offered completely free of charge and covers essential topics for pet sitter activities, including ▲ the role of pet sitters ▲ types of dog play ▲ causes and solutions for common behavioral problems ▲ creating a pet-sitting environment.

The training will be held over four days from October 24 to 27, totaling 16 hours. After completing the course, participants will be registered on a pet care matching platform to facilitate employment as pet sitters.

Any Dongdaemun-gu resident aged 18 or older with experience caring for dogs can apply for the ‘Pet Sitter Training Course.’ Thirty participants will be selected through document screening and interviews.

Applicants can apply online via the registration site by October 18. In-person or mail applications are not accepted.

For more details, please refer to the Dongdaemun-gu website or contact the selection and training company Pet People Co., Ltd. or the Dongdaemun-gu Job Policy Division.

Mayor Lee Pil-hyung of Dongdaemun-gu stated, “As the pet-related industry grows significantly, we have prepared a training course that can lead to employment for residents who currently have or have had dogs,” adding, “We will continue to discover new job creation projects in response to changing times for residents seeking employment.”