Gyeonggi Province to Support Veterinary Care Services for Pets in Care-Vulnerable Households Starting March

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 16th that it will launch the 'Pet Medical Service Support Project for Care-Vulnerable Households,' which will alleviate veterinary care costs for pets owned by socially disadvantaged groups, starting March this year, thereby improving the level of universal animal welfare.

This project is a newly introduced animal protection initiative this year as part of the '2021 Gyeonggi Province Animal Protection and Welfare Policy Implementation Plan,' which was announced through a press conference last month to realize Governor Lee Jae-myung's animal welfare philosophy in his elected term 7: 'A world where humans and animals coexist.'

The essence of the project is to support costs necessary for medical care and pet-sitting of companion animals (dogs and cats) owned by socially disadvantaged groups in the province, such as low-income families, single-person households, and people with severe disabilities, up to a maximum of 200,000 won per household.

The beneficiaries are residents of 13 municipalities participating in the 2021 project—Suwon, Goyang, Yongin, Seongnam, Hwaseong, Anyang, Pyeongtaek, Gwangju, Icheon, Hanam, Guri, Yeoju, and Gapyeong—with household incomes at or below 120% of the median income, including low-income families, people with severe disabilities, single-parent households, multicultural families, and single-person households.

In the first year of the project, a total of 800 pets will be supported. Once selected as beneficiaries, pet owners will receive support for vaccination, neutering surgery, basic checkups, treatment, surgery, and other medical services for their companion animals, as well as for pet-sitting services (up to 10 days maximum).

Applicants can submit an application by visiting or calling their nearest read-town administrative welfare center. After receiving services at animal hospitals or pet-sitting facilities, beneficiaries can submit supporting documents, such as receipts, to their municipality, and support up to 200,000 won will be provided.

To receive services, companion animal registration must be completed in accordance with the Animal Protection Act. However, cats will be supported regardless of registration status.

Through this project, by providing veterinary care services to companion animals that cannot receive timely treatment due to financial hardship, the project is expected to enhance animal welfare for pets while generating positive effects for the socially disadvantaged, such as 'reduced loneliness,' 'life satisfaction,' 'vitality in daily life,' and 'improved confidence.'

In particular, Gyeonggi Province plans to collect feedback from beneficiaries to inform the future direction of companion animal welfare policies for socially disadvantaged groups.

Kim Sung-shik, head of the Livestock and Forestry Bureau, said, "Since animal welfare is welfare for people, we will continue to show interest and provide support for coexistence of humans and animals through companion animal medical services to address blind spots for the socially disadvantaged."

For more information about the project, inquiries can be made to the Gyeonggi Province Animal Protection Division or the animal protection department of each municipality.