Animal abandonment increasing in Korea

Two dogs are locked in a cage at an animal shelter in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, in this Sept. 22 photo. / Courtesy of Beagle Rescue Network

By Lee Hyo-jin

Lee Hyung-joo, an animal rights activist, was busy during this Chuseok holiday as hundreds of pets were abandoned by people visiting family or tourist destinations.

“Stray dogs or cats are easily spotted in local highway rest areas. People who abandon their pets tend to leave them as far from home as possible, so they find holidays and summer vacations to be the right time,” said Lee, head of Animal Welfare Awareness, Research and Education (Aware).

During Chuseok in 2019, 728 animals were reported lost or abandoned, according to Pawinhand, a platform for animal adoption. The exact number for this year is yet to be tallied, but Lee expects it won't be much different from last year.

Data shows that holidays are not the only period animals are left abandoned.

Over 135,000 homeless animals were found nationwide in 2019, up 10 percent from 2018, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The number has surged 67 percent compared with 2014.

Experts explain that various factors have led to the continued increase in numbers.

Irresponsible pet ownership

“Not all animal lovers are fully aware of animal rights, or well-educated on the responsibility that entails pet adoption. Impulsive decisions to get cute animals may have led to the increase in abandoned pets,” Lee said.

Living with pets is surely a trend here. As of 2019, one out of four households was found to include domestic animals, according to the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI). Videos of cute pets hitting tens of thousands of views on YouTube show people's growing interest in animals.

The government has recently introduced stronger punishment for those who abuse animals.

Starting January 2021, under the revised Animal Protection Act, the police may launch investigations into crimes related to abandoned pets, which are handled mostly by civil servants at the local government currently. Those found guilty after the investigation may face fines up to 3 million won ($2,580).

“The tightened laws are welcome, but preemptive measures to prevent abandonment, such as better education and monitoring, will also be needed,” Lee added.

Ineffective adoption campaign

Another measure to reduce the number of abandoned pets is to find new families for animal adoption. However, the government's efforts to prompt people to choose animal shelters instead of pet shops has not yet appeared very effective, according to experts.

The benefit offered by local governments, covering up to 100,000 won of total costs spent in the adoption process, does not seem to attract many people.

“The biggest reason why people feel reluctant to choose animal shelters is concerns over disease. They wouldn't want to bring ill animals into their home. Animals in unsanitary and poorly managed shelters are more prone to diseases than they are in the wild,” said Seo Mi-jin, an activist at Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA).

In September, it turned out that a dog shelter in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, was run by an owner of an animal slaughter house. The same month, 86 percent of dogs were found to have been inhumanely killed in a shelter in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province.

“Rather than giving out subsidiary benefits, a more feasible way to vitalize adoption is improving the health conditions of homeless dogs to make more people willing to choose them,” Seo said.