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Not long ago, a story about former President Moon Jae-in's Pungsan dogs attracted a lot of attention. Eventually, it seemed that the dogs ended up being sent to a local public zoo. While hoping these dogs would be able to adapt to their new home, I thought about the realities and problems of raising pets.
Current pet care statistics are based on the number of households. The most authoritative are from the National Statistics Office's "2020 Population and Housing Survey." According to the report, 3.13 million households, or 15 percent of all households, have pets. However, I assume that the actual number is larger. This is because there should be many cases of non-compliance or the omission of surveys. Another public research institute recently published an estimate that says there are 15 million people raising pets in the country.
I am an average citizen who wishes to be one of those many pet owners. It's well known that having a pet brings more joy and emotional stability than any other hobby. However, the efforts that must be invested to obtain that joy are formidable, too. The economic burden is basic, and the physical work is never small. My wife and I have not yet started to raise a dog as we are worried about such required efforts. Among them, the most common effort is to clean up after one's dog.
Sometimes, disputes arise over the disposal of pet excrement. Just a few days ago, in the hallway of my temporary residence building, one of my neighbors was injured when he slipped on urine excreted by the next door neighbor's dog. There was shouting between the two people and they finally managed to settle the matter without filing a lawsuit. But that was not the end of the issue. Afterwards, a notice requesting the consideration of all pet owners was posted on the building's bulletin board. I felt a bit embarrassed as a member of the community.
Generally, quite a few pet owners don't care about their neighbors and the environment. For instance, when they walk their dogs, they intentionally ― not by mistake ― let the dogs relieve themselves at a roadside bush, even in parks. It is known that the excrement of dogs and cats is not a beneficial fertilizer for the plant ecosystem, but rather harms it. The corner bush in our neighborhood has almost been ruined by dog excrement.
A lot of dog owners like to call themselves their dog's "mom" or "dad." Would they indeed allow their real children to defecate indiscriminately? Failure to collect pet waste can result in fines for the owner, but this rule is not properly followed. Looking for a solution, I searched the internet and found that diapers for pets were already common as products.
I argue that a new campaign is needed for our clean environment as well as for our conscience. From now on, when you go out with your pet, be sure to put a diaper on them or use a disposable bag to collect the excrement yourself. It's natural to put a leash on them. Of course, resistance will be stubborn at first. They might protest while listing examples of some developed countries that are indifferent to pet pee and poo. But their cultures and ours are totally different. We can't tolerate human or pet excrement being left casually around us.
To have a pet is a big commitment. If a pet owner truly loves their pets and wants them to be loved by others as well, then they should check whether their pets pollute the surroundings. This may become a meaningful issue for environmental protection in the future. I sincerely ask for the interest and support of conservation organizations and experts.
The writer (sochan57@naver.com) is a retired principal of Gunsan Girls' High School.
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