Gwanak-gu, Fully Committed to Spreading a Mature Pet Culture This Year as Well

Strengthening Stray Animal Protection and Management, Promoting Coexistence Culture with Street Cats, Activating Animal Welfare, Resolving Animal Complaints... "Committed to Expanding Coexistence Culture Between People and Animals Through Various Welfare Policies for Companion Animals"

Gwanak-gu (District Mayor Park Jun-hee) has established the ‘2024 Animal Welfare Implementation Plan’ and is actively promoting it to improve the level of animal welfare and spread a mature companion animal culture.

This year, the district will continue to pursue the vision of ‘Gwanak where people and companion animals are happy together’ by actively implementing ▲stable and systematic protection and management of abandoned animals ▲spreading a coexistence culture with stray cats ▲activating animal welfare ▲providing customized animal civil complaint solutions through outreach services.

First, to ensure stable and systematic protection and management of abandoned animals, the district has signed a contract with Seoul National University Animal Hospital to operate a severe and emergency treatment center for abandoned animals. This center assists in treating abandoned animals that require immediate emergency care due to accidents or have severe trauma that is difficult to treat at the animal protection center.

Additionally, the district promotes the activation of the adoption culture for abandoned animals by supporting adoption fees. When adopting an abandoned animal, up to 150,000 KRW per animal is provided to cover costs such as disease diagnosis, treatment, vaccinations, and neutering surgery.

Last year, the district took the lead in protecting abandoned animals and spreading the adoption culture by treating 12 severely ill or emergency abandoned animals, facilitating the adoption and donation of 80 animals, and supporting adoption fees for 40 animals.

Projects to spread a coexistence culture with stray cats will also continue. To resolve conflicts caused by stray cats and provide safe and hygienic spaces for them, the district operates stray cat feeding stations and restrooms, and carries out a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program to control the stray cat population. Furthermore, posters to prevent abuse of stray cats will be distributed to community centers and apartment complexes to actively promote coexistence culture with stray cats.

Alongside this, projects to activate animal welfare include operating ‘mobile animal hospitals,’ supporting medical expenses for vulnerable groups, conducting companion animal behavior correction programs, and hosting ‘Coexistence with Animals Festivals.’

First, the ‘mobile animal hospital’ is a project where experts such as veterinarians and pet groomers visit local community centers to provide various services including health checkups, hygiene grooming, behavior correction, and nutrition counseling for companion animals. This project has received great positive feedback from pet families.

The ‘medical expense support project for companion animals of vulnerable groups’ aims to reduce the medical expense burden for companion animals in low-income households by supporting basic checkups, vaccinations, and other medical costs. The district has expanded the project budget from 37 million KRW to 50 million KRW this year and continues efforts to eliminate blind spots in animal medical care.

The ‘companion animal behavior correction’ program involves behavior correction trainers visiting applicant households to consult on problem behaviors and assist with behavior correction. This year, a total of 35 households will be recruited for customized home visits and education.

Moreover, in the second half of the year, the district plans to hold the ‘Coexistence with Animals Festival,’ which includes various events such as a Petiquette Stamp Tour and a Veterinarian Talk Concert, creating a festival space where people and animals can experience and enjoy together, further promoting a culture of coexistence between humans and animals.

District Mayor Park Jun-hee stated, “We will actively promote various animal protection and welfare projects that meet the needs of families living with companion animals this year as well,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to spread a mature companion animal culture and improve animal welfare.”