Blog

English translation

July 18, 2018
Jeonju Eco-friendly Agriculture Dept.
Manager: Shin Yong-Nam Tel. 063-281-2819
Team Leader: Yang Young-Kyu Tel. 063-281-5326
Person in charge: Choi Nam-Sun Tel. 063-281-5327

Establishment of a Companion Animal Park, Abandoned Animals Protection Centers, Etc.
The Draft to Make Jeonju an “Animal Friendly City” is Complete!

• On July 17, the City of Jeonju held the final briefing session of “Jeonju Animal Welfare Master Plan Establishment Research and Service” at the Jeonbuk National University.
• Based on the investigation of Jeonju’s current animal welfare condition, an animal welfare policy was established that includes construction of companion animal parks.
• The draft is a roadmap of both medium and long-term visions and goals for the animal welfare policy, projects by different areas, establishment of implementation strategy, etc.

With a desire to become recognized as the most humane city, Jeonju will be adopting animal welfare policies that protect animals, bestowing on them the right to enjoy a happy life by creating companion animal parks, abandoned animals protection centers, etc.

Jeonju expects that by 2025 these policies will reduce to no more than 1,000 the number of abandoned animal (such as dogs and cats) which last year numbered about 1,880; raise the adoption rate of abandoned animals to 66.7%; and increase to 90% the number of animals reunited with families.

The final briefing session of the “Jeonju Animal Welfare Master Plan Establishment Research and Service,” which creates a strategic roadmap for the provision of care for animals sharing their lives with Jeonju citizens, was held on July 17 at the Jeonbuk National University’s Jinsudang Hall.

With the vision of “Animal Friendly Jeonju”, since December of 2017, Lead Researcher Professor Im Chae-Woong of Jeonbuk National University’s Industry and Academic Cooperation Institute, has been conducting an investigation of current animal welfare conditions in Jeonju. Based on his research that includes comparative analysis of countries with advanced animal welfare policies and our current local policies, the basic direction of the animal welfare policy and its projects were announced.

To make Jeonju a city friendly to animals such as companion animals, abandoned animals, stray cats, and exhibition animals/laboratory animals, and to encourage civic participation, 19 projects in five fields were recommended.

First, they suggested construction of one companion animal park each in Wansan-gu and Deokjin-ju districts, as well as strengthening the policy to secure effectiveness of the animal registration system and increase the registration of abandoned animals.

Also included is support for new industry regulations as well as financial support for the spaying/neutering of companion animals belonging to low income and disadvantaged individuals.

With regard to abandoned animals, it was recommended that, as quickly as possible, plans be crafted to include the establishment of animal care centers that would protect animals, improve the animal registration system to prevent animal abandonment, develop a system of rescue and protection, create a temporary care system such as foster homes, and expand animal adoption procedures.

Additional projects contained in the animal protection master plan included stray cats and laboratory animals; establishment of a citizen volunteer network; the operation of stray cats feeding stations; welfare standards for zoo animals; advising prohibition of animal experiments in primary, middle, and high schools; expansion of the animal protection advisor system; and increased participation by citizens in a public-private partnership governance for animal welfare (“daulmadang”).

As the number of people living with companion animals increases, so has the number of cases of animal welfare violations. This rise in the poor treatment of companion animals is what led the city to contract with Jeonbuk National University Industry and University Cooperation Team to begin their investigations and make recommendations to improve animal welfare.

The city plans to review the proposed animal welfare master plan with relevant city departments, gathering opinions from public-private partnership governances for animal welfare and animal protection groups, and fine tuning the master plan to complete the draft for Jeonju’s animal welfare.

A Jeonju city official stated, “Based on the results of this research, conducted at a time when the ownership of companion animals is steadily increasing, we intend to quickly move forward with projects that are feasible in the short term, and work in close cooperation with the relevant city departments to implement mid-to-long-term projects that will improve the welfare of companion animals and can be empathized by the people who care for them.”