"Our Neighborhood Security 'Entrust to Me'... Pet Dog Patrol 'Hodu' Unveiled"

Small but Brave Appearance Captivates Netizens
Pet Dog Patrol's Achievements Including Last Year's Drunk Driving Arrests

The appearance of a small and cute Pomeranian puppy working as a village patrol has attracted the attention of netizens.

"Don't tease me for being small"... The activity of 'Hodu', a Pomeranian in the companion dog patrol resembling 'Hodu', has been revealed

The brave appearance of Hodoo, a Pomeranian active as a companion dog patrol in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, X (formerly Twitter)]

On the 29th, Jung Won-oh, the mayor of Seongdong-gu, posted on his X (formerly Twitter), "I'm not the only heartless person who sees this alone," and shared photos of 'Hodu', a companion dog patrol member active in Seongdong-gu. Earlier, news spread mainly on social media that a small-sized Pomeranian had applied to be part of the 'companion dog patrol' performing village security activities, causing a sensation. Mayor Jung shared the photos of the dog with the owner's consent.

A Pomeranian named 'Hodu,' who is active as a companion dog patrol in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, is held in the arms of its owner. [Image source=Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, X (formerly Twitter)]

Mayor Jung explained, "The 'companion dog patrol' started by the Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee in 2022 plays a reliable guardian role by having companion dogs and their owners walk around the neighborhood to check for damaged facilities that need repair and to look out for people in need and report them." He added, "Especially, Choi and Jenny, the companion dog patrol members from our Seongdong-gu, who made a big splash last year by detecting a drunk driver damaging facilities in a school zone and staggering while driving, are part of our team."

He continued, "This year, the companion dog patrol members of Seongdong-gu have also started full-scale activities, and they even participated in joint patrols last weekend, so their performance is already highly anticipated," and introduced, "If you meet the companion dog patrol members on the street, please greet them warmly."

Pomeranian 'Hodu,' who is active as a companion dog patrol in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, is bravely patrolling the neighborhood. [Image source=Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, X (formerly Twitter)]

Companion Dog Patrols Strive for Security Stability, Crime Prevention, Facility Maintenance Inspection, and Improving Awareness of Companion Dogs

Last year, Choi and Jenny, the companion dog patrol team of Seongdong-gu, Seoul, who gained great attention for detecting a drunk driving vehicle that damaged facilities within a school zone and was staggering while driving.
[Image source=Seoul City]

The companion dog patrol consists of residents familiar with the neighborhood and geography who patrol various parts of the neighborhood with their companion dogs. Patrol times and locations are not fixed; during regular walks, they look out for neighborhood hazards and report any dangers or emergencies to 112 to prompt immediate response. They also report damaged facilities or inconveniences to the district office.

It has been shown to be effective in identifying security-vulnerable areas, preventing crime, and improving awareness of companion dogs. Starting as a pilot program in May 2022 in Gangdong-gu and steadily expanding, the companion dog patrol had 1,011 teams conducting 48,431 patrols last year. The number of reports made by the companion dog patrol last year included 331 calls to 112 and 2,263 calls to the 120 Dasan Call Center.

This year, a total of 1,424 teams in Seoul are scheduled to conduct patrol activities. On the 20th, an activity declaration ceremony was held at Peace Park, marking the start of full-scale operations. There are also criteria to become a companion dog patrol member. To qualify, applicants must pass a first document screening and a second practical test, scoring at least 70 points. The practical test includes evaluation items such as obeying commands like 'wait' and 'come here,' not barking at other dogs or people, and maintaining focus on the owner despite external stimuli.