By Kim Se-jeong
The city government of Gangneung in Gangwon Province said it will open a “pet street” dedicated to pets and pet lovers by the end of 2017.
According to the city government, the Okcheon district, which is already filled with pet shops, veterinary clinics and pet cafes, will be turned into a pet street. The city will construct a pet play zone and walking paths and add other shops. The city said it will also fund shop owners so they can decorate their shops and put up new signs.
“We are hoping to attract more tourists to the city,” said a city official. In particular, the city is targeting visitors to the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, he added. The host town is about an hour away by car.
This is not the city’s first project involving pets. Last summer, the city attracted beachgoers with a pet-only beach.
Yet, the city’s initiative comes with a sad story of pet abandonment.
A lot of pets are abandoned in Gangneung during the summertime. It appears that the owners are usually tourists who go to the beach and end up leaving their animal companions there alone. Animal shelters, which are funded by the city government, keep them for awhile, and put those who can’t find new families to sleep.
Animal rights activists said this trend shows an immature pet ownership culture.