Gwangju City Opens "Animal Protection Center" to Shelter 200 Stray Dogs

New Facility Built in Bonchon-dong, Buk-gu with 4.5 Billion Won Investment
Shelter, Medical Examination Room, Grooming Room, and More
Efforts to Enhance Animal Welfare and Promote Adoption

Gwangju Mayor Kang Kijeong attended the opening ceremony of the "Gwangju Animal Protection Center" located in Bonchon-dong, Buk-gu, on the morning of the 24th, and cut the ribbon with guests. Photo by Gwangju City

On April 24, Gwangju City opened the "Animal Protection Center" in Bonchon-dong, Buk-gu, which is equipped with facilities such as a shelter for stray animals, a medical examination room, and an adoption counseling room, and began full-scale operations.

The opening ceremony was attended by Mayor Kang Kijeong, Animal Protection Center Director Jang Miseon, Gwangju City Council members Kim Nayoon, Lim Miran, and Chae Eunji, Gwangju Veterinary Association President Kim Kwangnam, Chonnam National University College of Veterinary Medicine Vice Dean Kim Dongil, and Geon-guk-dong Residents’ Association President Noh Honggi, among others.

The Gwangju Animal Protection Center was newly built with a total project cost of 4.525 billion won, including national funds. The facility consists of one basement floor and two above-ground floors, with a site area of 3,307 square meters (1,000 pyeong) and a building area of 999.8 square meters. It features modern facilities that meet animal welfare standards, including a shelter that can accommodate 200 stray dogs, offices, grooming and laundry rooms, a medical examination room, and an operating room.

The center will be directly operated by Gwangju City, integrating the new Animal Protection Center and the existing center. The new building will house stray dogs, while the existing center will accommodate stray cats. The city plans to carry out remodeling work this year to improve the aging facilities of the existing center.

The center’s operation is managed by a total of 14 staff members, including five employees such as general public officials, veterinarians, and trainers, as well as nine animal care service contractors. They systematically protect and manage stray and lost animals and facilitate procedures such as reuniting them with their owners and adoption. The center operates year-round from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and adoption counseling is available by appointment only.

By modernizing the Animal Protection Center’s facilities, the city aims to further enhance the welfare of stray animals. Direct management by the city has also strengthened the public nature and accountability of the process from protection to adoption. The installation of ventilation systems and soundproof walls is expected to significantly reduce noise and odor issues.

The city also plans to improve public awareness of stray animals through educational programs and adoption promotion via social networking services (SNS), supporting more sheltered animals in finding new homes.

The successful construction and opening of the new Animal Protection Center was made possible by cooperation based on mutual trust and communication between Gwangju City and local residents. In August 2023, Mayor Kang Kijeong held a direct meeting with local residents, including the Geon-guk-dong Residents’ Association, resolving a conflict that had persisted for over 10 years and enabling the center’s construction to move forward.

Mayor Kang Kijeong stated, "The Animal Protection Center will lead the way in animal welfare and companion animal culture by fostering responsibility throughout the entire process from protection to adoption, and it will also improve the quality of life for residents. I would like to thank everyone, including the residents of Geon-guk-dong, who contributed to the opening of the center. The city will continue to pursue policies with the mindset that companion animals are also family."

Meanwhile, Gwangju City plans to create a "Companion Animal Culture Park" in the Yeongsan River Daesang Park area by 2028 for the 290,000 citizens who raise companion animals, and to establish "companion animal playgrounds" in Seo-gu, Nam-gu, and Buk-gu by 2027.