Results of the 2024 Survey on Companion Animal Protection and Welfare
3.43 Million Companion Dogs and 60,000 Companion Cats
Increase in Pet Grooming, Training Centers, and Related Businesses
Last year, the cumulative number of registered companion dogs and cats reached a total of 3.49 million, marking an increase of more than 6%. In line with this trend, industries related to companion animals?such as pet grooming and temporary care, management, and training services?also experienced growth.
The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency announced these findings on the 27th through the National Animal Protection Information System, as part of the "2024 Survey on the Status of Companion Animal Protection and Welfare."
The agency conducts and publishes an annual survey on the status of companion animal protection and welfare, including animal registration by local governments nationwide, the rescue and protection of lost or abandoned animals, and the status of companion animal businesses. This is done to raise awareness about companion animals and to provide foundational data for improving protection and welfare systems.
In 2024, 260,000 new dogs and cats were registered, bringing the cumulative total to 3.49 million (3.43 million dogs and 60,000 cats), an increase of 6.3% compared to the previous year. Of the 260,000 newly registered animals, 245,000 were dogs and 15,000 were cats. While the number of newly registered dogs decreased by 4.9% compared to 2023, new cat registrations increased by 11.3%.
Dog registration was introduced on a trial basis in 2008 and expanded nationwide in 2013. It applies to dogs kept for companionship for more than two months. For cats, a pilot registration system has been in place nationwide since 2022, allowing registration after inserting an internal wireless identification device into the cat's body.
The number of companion animal businesses reached 23,565, an increase of 2,990 (14.5%) compared to the previous year. The number of employees rose by 3,799 (14.9%) to 29,305. By business type, the number of grooming, temporary care, transportation, exhibition, import, and funeral service establishments increased, while sales and breeding businesses saw a decrease.
The number of reports and rescues of lost or abandoned animals was 107,000, a decrease of 5.5% from the previous year. There are 231 animal protection centers nationwide (including 75 directly operated by local governments) for the rescue and protection of animals. The costs for animal protection and the number of personnel increased by 31.4% and 1.5%, respectively.
In 2024, local governments designated 801 animal protection officers to handle animal welfare and protection tasks and detected a total of 1,293 violations of the Animal Protection Act. The most common violations were inadequate animal management, such as not using a leash during outings, failing to collect animal waste, and not attaching identification tags, accounting for 826 cases (63.9%). Cases of animal abuse, injury, or abandonment decreased by 32% from the previous year to 55 cases.
Kim Jeonghee, head of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, stated, "With the spread of companion animal culture and the development of related industries, public interest in animal welfare and protection is increasing." She added, "We will continue to make efforts to provide diverse and necessary information effectively to the public by focusing on user-centered improvements to the National Animal Protection Information System."
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