"I'll Share Treats" "More Free Time" Even Dogs Campaign: Adorable Promises from Puppy Class President Candidates

Unique Events Spreading at Dog Kindergartens
Pet Owners Even Create AI-Generated Posters

As the June 3 local elections approach, election fever is heating up across the country, and even dog daycares have their own "puppy candidates" vying for votes. The class president elections at dog daycares are drawing attention online as a unique phenomenon, with witty campaign promises such as "I will share treats with my friends" and "I will increase free play time," as well as election posters created by guardians.

The election for the class president of the dog daycare is attracting attention online as a unique scene, with witty campaign promises and election posters created by guardians added. Yonhap News

On the 29th, Yonhap News highlighted the unique event of class president elections for puppies at some dog daycares. Dog daycares, which have become increasingly popular, are facilities that provide socialization training and care services for dogs. They help dogs interact with their peers while their guardians are at work or away from home for extended periods. However, not every dog can be admitted. To prevent accidents such as biting or fighting among dogs, those with severe aggression or behavioral issues may be restricted from enrollment. Many daycares also require admission tests that assess a dog's ability to perform basic commands like "wait" or "sit."

Interest in these elections surged after the recent broadcast of MBC's variety show "I Live Alone," where Dal Kong, the pet dog of webtoon artist and broadcaster Kian84, was elected class president at a daycare. Following the broadcast, online reactions included comments such as "It’s so cute to see a dog wearing a bag and carrying a lunchbox to daycare," and "Dog daycares these days are truly well-organized," as well as remarks like "A class president election for dogs? That’s fascinating," and "It feels like early education for pets."

Different Election Methods at Each Daycare

The methods for electing class presidents vary by daycare. At some facilities, the candidate puppies are lined up and the puppy who attracts the most voting dogs is chosen as president. In others, voting slips with candidate names are placed in front of the dogs and each dog picks one, or guardians cast votes to select the class president. Some daycares determine the winner by seeing which dog can hold the "wait" or "sit" position the longest.

Last year on the first day of early voting for the 21st presidential election, a citizen is seen voting with their pet dog at an early voting station set up at Jungnim-dong Community Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Guardians enthusiastically prepare for the elections. They craft campaign promises tailored to each puppy's personality and design promotional materials that resemble real election posters. Some even use artificial intelligence (AI) to create posters or prepare images tailored to victory or defeat. Dog daycares explain that such events go beyond mere play, serving as tools for socialization and encouraging guardian participation. For example, a daycare in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, asks guardians to submit videos of kennel or mat training, and selects candidates based on the dogs' training attitudes.

An Era of 5.46 Million Pet Dogs in Korea... Reflecting a Culture of Family-Like Bonds

This cultural spread is closely linked to changing perceptions of pets as family members. According to KB Financial Group Management Research Institute’s "2025 Korea Pet Report," as of the end of 2024, there were 5.91 million pet-owning households and 15.46 million pet owners in Korea. This means 29.9% of the population lives with pets. Dogs account for 5.46 million, making up the largest share among pets. A survey by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs also showed that, among pet-owning households, 80.5% have dogs, the highest rate. The overall rate of pet ownership is 29.2%, meaning roughly one in three households lives with a pet.

It has been a long time since pets became family members. Some of the things family members do include holding an umbrella for them when it rains and sharing body heat when it's cold. Photo by Huh Younghan

The trend of considering pets as family members is also clear. In the KB Financial Group report, 87.2% of pet-owning households agreed that "pets are part of the family," and even among non-pet-owning households, 68.2% shared this view. This is why the dog daycare class president elections are seen by some guardians not as excessive, but as a way to support their family members' social lives. However, there are also mixed opinions online. While some say, "If it helps dogs socialize, it’s a good culture," others express caution, saying, "Isn’t it too much to create a competitive structure like that for human children?" and, "It should not be just an event for guardian satisfaction."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.