When Pets Die, Trash Bags? ... Most People "Throw Them in the Back Mountain"

Korea Consumer Agency, Survey Results from 1,000 Participants

Recently, with the aging population and the rapid increase in single-person households, the number of people living with animals in detached houses, apartments, and one-room units is rising. Among them, 4 out of 10 pet owners were found to be unaware of the methods and procedures for disposing of their pets' remains.

In particular, although burying pet remains is illegal, half of the respondents did not even know this fact.

Due to recent aging population and the rapid increase of single-person households, more people are living with pets in detached houses, apartments, and one-room units. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Photo source=Pixabay]

On the 11th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that, according to an online survey of 1,000 consumers who had experienced the death of a pet within the last five years, 41.3% of respondents answered that they had "buried or discarded the remains in their residence or in the mountains." Regarding the illegality of such actions, 45.2% responded that they "did not know."

According to current law, animal remains must be disposed of by placing them in designated waste bags for volume-based waste disposal, entrusting the process to a veterinary hospital, or using animal-specific funeral facilities. Under the Animal Protection Act, pet owners must report the deregistration within 30 days after the pet’s death.

However, 59.1% of consumers did not comply with this. The main reasons were "not knowing that deregistration was required" (53%) and "not having registered the animal" (34.7%). It was found that 30% of respondents used pet funeral facilities.

The Consumer Agency investigated the websites of 62 animal funeral businesses registered in the Animal Protection Management System of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and found that 32 businesses did not display their registration certificates. This means that for more than half, it is unclear whether they are legitimate animal funeral businesses.

23.3% reported experiencing damages during the animal remains disposal process. The types of damages included "excessive charges by animal funeral businesses" (40.3%) and "insincere funeral proceedings" (39.1%).

Based on this survey, the Consumer Agency plans to recommend that animal funeral businesses display their registration certificates and strengthen information provision.