Korea’s pet boom sparks street sanitation woes

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With Korea home to more than 15 million companion animals, cleaning up after dogs has largely become second nature for most pet owners — at least when it comes to feces. Urine, however, remains an exception.

People are increasingly expressing discomfort and frustration at the sight and smell of dog urine stains left on roads and sidewalks.

According to a report by KB Financial Group, the country’s companion animal population has surpassed 15 million, with dogs being the most common at 5.46 million.

As the daily lives of non-pet owners are increasingly affected by the behavior of pets and their owners, debates over “petiquette” — the rules of conduct pet owners should observe — have intensified.

The issue of dog urine is one example. While it has become common practice for most dog owners to carry waste bags and clean up after their pets during walks, many still leave urine unattended.

“In our apartment playground, the smell of dog urine and visible stains are common,” said Oh, a father of an elementary school child in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. “I understand that dogs need to relieve themselves during walks, but as a parent, I’m concerned about hygiene when children sit or play on the ground.”

Under the current law, dog excrement is classified as waste that owners are required to clean up. However, rules on urination remain limited, applying only to certain shared residential areas and public facilities such as benches or resting zones where people may sit or lie down.

According to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, a total of 36,813 complaints related to companion animals were filed between July 2022 and June this year. The number of monthly complaints this year averaged 1,741, nearly double the 901 per month recorded in 2024.

Beyond public frustration, environmental concerns have also been raised. The high concentration of nitrogen in dog urine can lead to soil contamination and vegetation damage due to nitrogen overload, when repeatedly deposited in the same area.

In response, several local governments have introduced measures aimed at reducing pollution and easing tensions between pet owners and non-owners.

In April, the city of Ulsan set up a dedicated public restroom for dogs at Taehwagang National Garden. Incheon and Daegu have installed smart pet waste disposal kiosks and dedicated dog urinals.

However, such facilities have shown limited effectiveness, as dogs naturally tend to urinate along their walking routes rather than at designated spots.

Consequently, some suggest it would be more practical to promote a campaign encouraging dog owners to carry water during walks and pour it over spots where their dogs urinate, diluting the waste and minimizing odor.

“If regulations become too strict, they could end up deepening tensions between pet owners and non-owners,” said Kim Hyun-joo, a professor in the department of companion animals at Bucheon University. “Rather than more rules, what’s needed is a broader shift in public awareness and a stronger culture of petiquette.”