The ‘Gucheong Pet Dog Hotel’ Opens Without Fail This Lunar New Year

A pet sitter in Seocho-gu is playing with a companion dog. (Photo by Seocho-gu Office)

As the Lunar New Year approaches, more autonomous districts are operating pet care shelters for dogs. With the increase in pet owners, district offices are competing to expand resident services. It is explained that such activities by the districts are also effective in preventing the surge of abandoned dogs during holidays or vacation seasons.

Seocho-gu will operate a 'Pet Care Shelter' for six days from the 8th to the 13th of next month to ease the burden of dog care for owners who will be away during the Lunar New Year holiday. The fee is only 5,000 won to cover cleaning and disinfection costs, making it virtually free.

The shelter is located within the Seocho Animal Love Center, where experienced professional caregivers (pet sitters) reside. They continuously check the condition of the dogs and monitor them through CCTV, thoroughly managing feeding and waste. In case of emergencies such as illness or injury, dogs are transferred to a 24-hour animal hospital.

Those interested can visit the Seocho Animal Love Center by the 31st of this month to apply. Eligible applicants are small to medium-sized dogs over 5 months old registered in the district. If applications exceed capacity, priority is given in the order of Seocho-gu residents who have adopted abandoned dogs, low-income households, families who adopted from the Seocho Animal Love Center, and then other Seocho-gu residents.

Nowon-gu will also operate a 'Holiday Pet Care Shelter' for four days from the 9th to the 11th of next month. This program has been running for seven years since Chuseok 2018 to prevent the increase of abandoned dogs during vacation seasons.

The shelter is available for small dogs weighing 8kg or less, over 6 months old, registered with the district, vaccinated against rabies, and without social behavior issues. Dogs with contagious diseases, pregnant dogs, or those in heat are not eligible to apply.

To ensure the safety of dogs staying at the shelter, the district will assign professional pet sitters in teams of three working in two shifts from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and use on-duty staff at night to carefully monitor the dogs’ conditions. In case of illness or injury, dogs will be immediately connected to a local 24-hour animal hospital to prevent serious accidents.

The district also plans to strengthen customized care considering the characteristics of each breed for smooth pet care. Applications are accepted until the 31st of this month, and the care fee is 5,000 won.