Mokpo City Guides and Enforces Pet Etiquette for a Mature Companion Culture

Operation of Animal Protection Monitoring Team... Strengthening Crackdown on Violations

Mokpo City in Jeollanam-do plans to strengthen guidance and enforcement for pet owners to foster a mature pet culture.

According to the city on the 7th, the Animal Protection Act was fully revised on April 27, strengthening the obligations of pet owners.

Mokpo City Hall exterior view
[Photo by Mokpo City]

The enhanced obligations require that when taking dogs out, the transport device must have a locking mechanism, and it is prohibited to keep pets tied with a short leash less than 2 meters.

Quasi-residential housing has been added to public spaces where dogs must be held directly or on a leash or harness, and owners must manage their dogs so they do not leave the place where they are kept.

The city will focus on promoting the revised Animal Protection Act to pet owners, including wearing a leash (within 2 meters) and identification tags when going out, and collecting pet waste, and after a certain guidance period, will strengthen guidance and enforcement against violations.

Violations will result in fines ranging from 50,000 KRW to a maximum of 400,000 KRW.

The city has formed and operated an Animal Protection Monitoring Team to actively promote pet etiquette compliance in complaint-prone areas such as parks.

Additionally, efforts are being made to protect animals through support for dog registration fees and medical expenses for vulnerable groups.

Furthermore, to prevent the nationwide worsening problem of dog abandonment and loss, the city operates a ‘voluntary animal registration reporting’ period and strengthens animal registration promotion in cooperation with pet-related businesses.

Going forward, the city will make great efforts in animal protection and welfare by promoting various pet etiquette campaigns, preventing pet abandonment, and encouraging adoption of abandoned animals to foster a mature pet culture.

A city official said, “We ask citizens to participate so that by voluntarily following pet etiquette, pet owners and non-pet owners can consider each other, allowing humans and animals to coexist and a mature pet culture to take root.”