Seoul, S. Korea: Pet adoption center plans to open early next month.

[Giny Woo]

Translation of News: http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/08/16/2012081600001.html?Dep0=twitter

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Pet adoption center plans to open early next month.

Through a reorganization initiative, Seoul Metropolitan government is preparing to change the animal related words being used and to build an animal protection shelter. This follows their recent creation of Animal Welfare Department which is the first among all the local governments in S. Korea.

Seoul government announced on August 15, that it will use the word “Found Animal” instead of “Stray Animal” which means being lost or abandoned. A city official stated that they have decided to use the word “Found Animal” which is a more objective representation because “Stray Animal” has a negative representation that the animal has been abandoned.

In addition, Seoul government will build a “Found Animal Shelter”. This is an acceptance of critique about the animal welfare not being guaranteed because currently there is no animal protection shelter operated by the city. The city will also maintain a mutually cooperative relationship with 3 or 4 Animal Protection Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Although the city can not search for animal abuse cases or carry out the punishment, they will put into policy to actively utilize the tips and suggestions from the Animal Protection NGOs.

The new Animal Welfare Department will also succeed the animal related policies that was being handled intermittently by another department. Starting January 1, 2013, Seoul government will make it mandatory for pet owners to microchip their pets older than 3 months and will open a “companion animal adoption center” early next month at the Seoul Grand Park to make abandoned animals available for adoption to citizens. Also, the city will push forward with the projects to promote the environment where human and animals can coexist such as putting in place animal protection honorary warden system, providing free rabies vaccination to low income citizens and promoting animal protection organizations.

However, the city decided not to discuss in detail sharply controversial issues such as “banning of dog meat consumption”.