June 8th Mokdong Rodeo Fashion Street Hosts Largest Local Government Pet Festival
Nation's First Agility National Team Demonstration, Shelter Dog Adoption Ceremony, 16 Experience and Promotion Booths, and More
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Lee Gi-jae) is preparing to hold the largest local government pet culture event, the ‘Y-Petmily Festival,’ on the 8th in the Mokdong Rodeo Fashion Street area. The festival features special programs unique to ‘Y-Petmily,’ including the nation’s first professional demonstration performance by the national agility team, an adoption ceremony for abandoned dogs, and pet experience and promotion booths.
This specialized festival, ‘Y-Petmily,’ which highlights the dog-shaped terrain of Yangcheon-gu, will transform a 340-meter section of the two-lane road in Mokdong Rodeo Fashion Culture Street into a ‘car-free zone,’ operating with ▲Stage Zone ▲Play Zone ▲Rest Zone ▲Flea Market Zone ▲Experience Zone.
Notably, the ‘Y-Petmily’ festival will showcase the dazzling professional performance of the Korean national team from the Asia Agility Championship for the first time in the country. ‘Agility’ is a sport where a dog and its owner complete an obstacle course as a team. At the festival, visitors can watch the world-class completion of five courses?hurdles, tunnels, tires, seesaws, and weave poles?performed by the pro team. Additionally, two Korean teams participating in international frisbee competitions will demonstrate disc throwing, showcasing the charm of pet sports.
Furthermore, the district will start the pet festival with an ‘Abandoned Dog Adoption Ceremony’ to widely promote the culture of adopting pets. Citizens selected for the adoption ceremony will receive vouchers for pet-friendly accommodations to create happy memories with their pets. Through this, the district plans to go beyond managing abandoned animals and spread a happy animal welfare culture throughout the community.
The ‘Unique Pet Talent Contest’ is another highlight. It will offer fun and touching moments through three contests, including ‘Wait · Come Here,’ which tests the dog’s patience and communication with the owner, and ‘Finding Mom,’ where dogs run through festival staff to find their owners. Pet families who rank in the contest will be awarded trophies and certificates.
At the ‘Pet Talk Concert’ held on the day, broadcaster Seo Dong-joo, known for her positive influence through abandoned dog volunteer activities, and Kim Min-sung, the coach of the Asian agility national team, will take the stage. They will communicate with the audience on topics such as ‘Awareness of Abandoned Dogs and Pet Etiquette Culture,’ sharing stories about rescue activities, adoption experiences, and daily life with pets.
The ‘Experience and Promotion Booths,’ which embody pet culture, will offer 16 programs including ▲Pet Tarot ▲Pet Personality Tests ▲Pet Paw Prints ▲Making ID Tag Badges and Leashes ▲Pet Insurance Counseling ▲Pet Health Consultations with the Yangcheon-gu Veterinary Association ▲Pet Grooming Art Experience ▲Seoul Animal Welfare Support Center booth providing information on abandoned dog adoption. Especially, six local pet grooming experts will participate in the pet grooming art booth to provide services ranging from basic to hygienic grooming.
The ‘Pet Fashion Show,’ reflecting the characteristics of the Rodeo Fashion Street venue, will feature two promotional models of Yangcheon-gu appearing on stage with their own pets to showcase their fashion sense. Any pet family wishing to participate can register both in advance and on-site. After the fashion show, a popularity vote using QR codes will be held for the audience, with awards given to the winners.
The ‘Flea Market Zone’ will open a marketplace selling pet-related products such as handmade dog treats, clothes, accessories, and pest repellents. The ‘Play Zone’ will host a ‘Pet Playground’ where small and medium-sized dogs can run freely and a ‘Beginner Agility Competition.’
A ‘Food Truck’ catering to pet families’ tastes will also operate. Visitors can enjoy reasonably priced snacks such as slice pizza from the Yangcheon-gu-based company ‘Pizza Alvolo,’ ice cream, coffee, and churros.
Yangcheon-gu’s official dog character, ‘Bolbbangbbang Haewoori,’ will be made into two giant sculptures, each 5 meters tall, displayed at the festival photo zone. Additionally, ‘Bolbbangbbang Haewoori’ will appear on 500 commemorative keychains given to survey respondents and on sun caps designed to provide shade.
Cooperative efforts to revitalize Rodeo Street are also notable. On the festival day, 13 clothing stores near the event venue will hold special discount events, and lucky draw prizes will include gift certificates usable at the Rodeo Fashion Shopping Center.
To prepare for the large crowd, the district will completely close nearby roads on the event day and deploy about 100 safety management personnel for traffic control and smooth event operation.
Also, to respond promptly to pet bite incidents, the district will cooperate with five nearby animal hospitals to provide emergency medical services.
Meanwhile, under the catchphrase ‘Special Pet District,’ the district has been promoting various pet policies. It supports medical expenses for pets of vulnerable groups and adoption fees for abandoned animals, and provides free animal registration tags to households adopting abandoned animals. Notably, last year, Yangcheon-gu became the first district in Seoul to implement the ‘Yangcheon-style Our Neighborhood Animal Hospital Special Project,’ supporting essential medical expenses for seniors aged 65 and over receiving basic pensions. The district currently operates eight pet rest shelters and plans to expand to a total of ten by 2025.
Mayor Lee Gi-jae of Yangcheon-gu said, “The ‘Y-Petmily’ festival, held on the largest scale ever by a local government, is a starting point for a mature pet culture and an ambitious project by Yangcheon-gu to create a city where both pets and people can be happy together. I hope everyone participating in the festival will make precious memories and take part in spreading warm awareness about pets. We will continue to promote pet-friendly policies to make Yangcheon-gu a great place for everyone to live.”
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