Abandoned Animal Reduction Rate Six Times Higher Than Seoul Average
Number of Animal Registrations Ranks First in Seoul for Five Consecutive Years
Gangnam-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) announced on the 10th that it has drastically reduced the rate of abandoned animals. Last year, the number of abandoned animals in Gangnam-gu was 73, a 55.5% decrease compared to 164 in 2023, which is six times higher than the average reduction rate in Seoul (9.7%).
This achievement is attributed to Gangnam-gu's proactive pet policies, such as promoting the use of microchip animal registration. Last year, Gangnam-gu recorded 3,002 animal registrations (1,857 microchip registrations and 1,145 external tag registrations), ranking first in Seoul for five consecutive years.
In particular, the rate of microchip registration is very high; compared to other districts with similar numbers of external tag registrations, Gangnam-gu's microchip registrations are 55.3% higher. Microchip registration allows for quick identification of owners when pets go missing, effectively preventing abandonment and loss. It also positively influences pet owners' sense of responsibility, contributing to the reduction of abandoned animals.
To promote animal registration, the district deployed dedicated personnel to continuously monitor violations of the Animal Protection Act and designated 76 animal hospitals (83% of the total) within the district as authorized agencies for microchip registration support in cooperation with local veterinary clinics.
This created an environment where pet registration is convenient, and registration costs were also subsidized. Last year, the “VET Man is Coming” program, where veterinarians visited residents directly to raise awareness about the necessity and safety of microchip registration and provide procedures, received great responses.
This year, support for animal registration will be strengthened by expanding the “VET Man is Coming” program to both the first and second halves of the year. Additionally, as a new project, Gangnam-gu Animal Protection Center will support residents adopting abandoned animals by providing pet insurance coverage for one year. Furthermore, to foster a culture of responsible pet care, customized support projects such as holiday care shelters, dog behavior correction academies, neighborhood pet boarding facilities, and mobile dog playgrounds will continue to be implemented.
District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong stated, “We have implemented various projects to make animal registration safe and convenient for residents without resistance, and these efforts have yielded positive results. Moving forward, we will continue to implement comprehensive policies from animal registration to care support to minimize the occurrence of abandoned animals and cultivate a mature pet culture.”
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