Mayor Kim Byungsoo: "Gimpo Will Fulfill Its Role as a Leading Pet-Friendly City"

Gimpo City Companion Animal Public Medical Center Records 1,625 Cases in One Year
First in the Nation to Serve All Citizens... Utilization Rate Reaches 82.8%
Significant Contribution to Reducing Abandoned Animals... 410 Microchip Registrations Achieved

Gimpo City in Gyeonggi Province announced on June 23 that, one year after becoming the first city in the country to operate a public medical center for companion animals open to all citizens, the center has recorded more than 1,626 medical cases as of the end of May (1,455 for dogs and 171 for cats). Of these, 82.8% were utilized by ordinary citizens, demonstrating the center's effectiveness.

Kim Byungsoo, Mayor of Gimpo, attending the opening ceremony of the Gimpo Public Medical Center. Photo by Gimpo City

This confirms that the center is functioning as a universal welfare policy for companion animals, rather than being limited to a specific demographic.

The operation of the center has also had a significant impact in reducing the number of abandoned and lost animals. Since the center opened, a total of 410 microchip animal registrations have been completed as of the end of May 2025, accounting for 24.3% of Gimpo City's total registrations (1,684 cases).

Given that there are 47 animal hospitals in Gimpo City where registration is possible, the center's contribution to animal registration stands out as particularly high. Furthermore, the spread of voluntary registration is proving to be effective in reducing the number of abandoned and lost animals and in lowering social costs.

User satisfaction with the center also reaches 90%. According to a user satisfaction survey conducted from July 2024 to May 2025, 297 respondents gave an average score of 4.5 out of 5, indicating high satisfaction. Citizens reported consistently high satisfaction across all categories, including service guidance, usefulness, and convenience.

Additionally, last year, the center was honored with the Grand Prize in the Public Interest Brand category at the 2nd Public Brand Awards hosted by the Korea Association for Public Brand Promotion (KAPB).

These achievements in user satisfaction and external recognition are attributed not only to satisfaction with medical services, but also to the center's role in fostering a culture of coexistence between pet owners and non-pet owners. The city is utilizing the public medical center as a central platform for companion animal welfare, rather than simply as a medical institution. Initiatives such as the "Mobile Companion Animal Health Consultation Center" at festivals, events, and dog parks have received positive responses from citizens. New programs have also been introduced, including special lectures by veterinarians to address guardians' questions and basic behavior correction education to diagnose and address problematic behaviors in dogs.

The educational foundation for harmonious living between pet owners and non-pet owners is also being strengthened.

The "Companion Culture Education Regular Course," launched last year for the first time, consists of practical curricula such as the developmental stages and health management of dogs, understanding emotional signals, and hands-on walking training.

This year, new programs have been introduced based on citizen feedback, including "Soso Meeting" for timid and shy dogs, and "I Am the Trainer at Home," where guardians become trainers themselves.

In addition, Gimpo City is promoting pet etiquette through campaigns centered on parks and residential areas, running proper pet owner certification events, and selecting 30 "Gimpo Daengporters" to create a citizen-led model for voluntary companion animal culture.

Mayor Kim Byungsoo stated, "The Companion Animal Public Medical Center is making a positive impact, starting with the recognition of companion animal culture as part of welfare and extending to the formation of a culture where pet owners and non-pet owners coexist. While the number of households with pets continues to increase, what is even more important is the shift in our society's perception of companion animals. Gimpo City will continue to fulfill its role as a leading pet-friendly city by implementing effective policies that citizens can truly feel."