Asan City Signs Agreement with Petdoc to Establish Pet Funeral Culture

Up to 20 Percent of Funeral Costs Covered

On June 13, Asan City in South Chungcheong Province announced that it had signed an agreement with Petdoc Co., Ltd. to establish a proper culture for pet funerals.

This agreement was prepared in response to the increasing number of households raising pets, aiming to improve citizens' access to funeral facilities and to foster a proper funeral culture.

As of this month, a total of 28,103 pets have been registered in the city, with 17,812 citizens raising them.

However, under current law, pet remains cannot be buried arbitrarily in places such as hillsides. Citizens must use authorized funeral facilities or dispose of remains as household waste in pay-as-you-throw bags, which causes inconvenience. In some cases, remains are incinerated as medical waste through animal hospitals.

Under the agreement, Petdoc will cover 10 to 20 percent of the funeral service costs for Asan citizens, while the city plans to conduct public awareness and promotional activities to improve citizens' perceptions of pet funeral culture.

Oh Sehyun, Mayor of Asan, said, "We hope that this agreement will make it easier for citizens to use authorized funeral facilities," adding, "We also hope it will provide practical help to citizens suffering emotional distress from the loss of their pets."