Animal abandonment increases amid eased social distancing

Rescued dogs stay at The Bom Center, an animal-friendly rescue shelter run by Korean Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, in this file photo taken on Sept. 9, 2021. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Lee Hyo-jin

While pandemic isolation and loneliness led to an increase in pet adoptions over the past two years in Korea, the trend seems to be coming to an end, as the country is seeing a surge of animal abandonment amid the eased social distancing measures.

According to data from the Animal Protection Management System operated by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, the number of pets abandoned in April alone surpassed 11,000, a 30 percent increase compared to the previous month.

Experts view that the figure will also increase in the months to come, as animal abandonment usually soars during the summer holiday season.

"This summer may be very tough for pets," said Chae Il-taek, an official at the Korea Animal Welfare Association (KAWA).

"Although there should be more accumulated data to figure out the correlation between the eased social distancing restrictions and the increase in animal abandonment, it is worrisome that as the COVID-19 situation has improved somewhat, people are spending significantly less time with their pets and that is having negative effects on the animal companions."

Chae explained that leaving pets alone at home for long hours is likely to provoke anxiety and misbehavior in the animals, leading to conflicts with neighbors, a frequent reason why owners decide to give up their pets.

The activist pointed out that strengthened punishment for people who abandon their pets has shown little effects so far. Under the revised Animal Protection Act, since January 2021, those found guilty of abandoning their pets may face fines of up to 3 million won ($2,400).

"Not many pet owners seem to be aware that they could face criminal punishment for animal abandonment," Chae said.

"Moreover, compared with other countries, it is so easy to adopt a pet in Korea, which leads to a lack of responsibility among pet owners. The government should come up with measures so that people can be educated about veterinary care and associated costs, as well as the commitment needed for their pets."

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