Up to 400,000 Won Per Animal
at 10 Designated Animal Hospitals
Yangcheon District in Seoul (District Mayor Lee Gijae) announced on September 7 that its "Yangcheon-Style Neighborhood Animal Hospital" initiative, aimed at supporting seniors who face difficulties in accessing veterinary care due to financial constraints, has received a strong positive response from residents.
Lee Gijae, Yangcheon District Mayor, communicating with pet families. Provided by Yangcheon District Office.
The "Yangcheon-Style Neighborhood Animal Hospital" is a specialized program first launched by the district among all Seoul districts in 2023. It was introduced to alleviate the burden of veterinary expenses and promote animal welfare, reflecting the increasing number of seniors who live with companion animals as the elderly population grows. As of its third year in operation, a total of around 200 companion animals have received veterinary fee support through this program.
The program targets companion dogs and cats owned by basic pension recipients aged 65 or older residing in Yangcheon District. It is operated entirely with district funds and is separate from the "Seoul-Style Neighborhood Animal Hospital," which supports medical care for pets of vulnerable groups. Notably, this year the eligibility was expanded from "one animal per household" to "one animal per person," allowing more pets to benefit from the program.
The support is divided into essential and optional treatments. For "essential treatments," the program provides up to 200,000 won for basic check-ups, vaccinations, and heartworm prevention medication. For "optional treatments," up to 200,000 won is provided for treatment of diseases discovered during essential care or for neutering surgeries. However, simple procedures such as grooming and nutritional supplement injections are excluded.
To receive support, applicants must bring their basic pension recipient certificate and ID to a "Yangcheon-Style Neighborhood Animal Hospital" that has an agreement with the district. Both dogs and cats must be registered, and the registered owner must match the person applying for the veterinary fee support. There are a total of 10 designated hospitals located in Mok-dong, Sinwol-dong, and Sinjeong-dong. Detailed information can be found in the notices on the Yangcheon District Office website.
In addition, the district is promoting a variety of animal welfare support programs, including "Our Neighborhood Pet Care Center" for vulnerable groups, "Adoption Fee Support" to encourage the adoption of stray animals, "Rabies Vaccination" to protect the health of residents and animals, and "Companion Animal Culture Classes" to foster a mature culture of pet ownership.
District Mayor Lee Gijae stated, "The Yangcheon-Style Neighborhood Animal Hospital is a warm welfare policy that reduces the financial burden on seniors and helps them live healthily with their pets. We will continue to expand related support so that Yangcheon District can become a city where people and animals live well together."
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