3.68 Million Registered Companion Animals... Over 10% Drop in Lost and Abandoned Animals

Results of the 2025 Animal Protection and Welfare Status Survey

As of last year, the cumulative number of registered companion animals reached 3,676,000, marking a 5.3% increase compared to the previous year. In contrast, the number of rescued lost and abandoned animals totaled 96,000, representing a decline of more than 10%.

On June 29, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the results of the "2025 Animal Protection and Welfare Status Survey" through its official website and the National Animal Protection Information System.

In accordance with the Animal Protection Act, the Ministry annually investigates and discloses various aspects of companion animal protection and welfare, including the status of animal registration, the status of animal rescue and actions taken, the status of companion animal business establishments, and the status of animal protection officers and honorary animal protection officers.

The cumulative registration of companion animals reached a total of 3,676,000, which is a 5.3% increase year-on-year. Newly registered animals amounted to 247,000, a 4.9% decrease compared to the previous year.

The number of rescued lost and abandoned animals—including dogs, cats, rabbits, and chickens—was 96,000, a 10.4% decrease compared to the previous year. This figure has continued to decline since 2019. The number of animal protection centers increased by five (2.2%) to a total of 236, and these centers are operated either directly or through consignment.

The total number of companion animal business establishments stood at 24,384, reflecting a 3.5% increase from the previous year. The number of employees was 30,426, up by 3.8%. By business type, grooming services accounted for 44.5%, consignment services for 23.8%, and sales businesses for 11.4%. Compared to the previous year, the number of transport, funeral, grooming, consignment, and exhibition businesses increased, while the number of import, sales, and breeding businesses decreased.

The number of animal protection officers designated by local governments was 888, who detected 1,281 violations of the Animal Protection Act. The main violations included inadequate animal management, such as not using leashes, in 913 cases (71.3%), and failure to comply with business requirements in 184 cases (14.4%).

Kim Dongil, Director of the Animal Protection Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, "As the number of people raising companion animals increases, public interest in animal welfare is growing day by day. We will continue to provide relevant information and make ongoing efforts to support the development of a mature animal welfare culture, as well as to use this information in policy formulation and institutional improvement."

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